• ABOUT
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Events
    • FAQ
    • Use & Privacy Policy
  • ADVERTISE
  • ROWFAX
  • THE SPORTS CREDENTIAL
  • JOB LISTINGS
MusicRow.com
  • CALENDARS
    • Album/EP Releases
    • Single/Track Releases
    • Industry Events
  • OBITS
  • CHARTS
    • Radio Chart (Current)
    • Radio Chart (Archives)
    • No. 1 Challenge Coin
    • Songwriter Chart (Current)
    • Songwriter Chart (Archives)
  • REVIEWS
  • MY STORY
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Newsletter (Current)
    • SIGN UP (FREE!)
    • Newsletter (Archives)
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • STORE
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

Veteran Hit Writer Billy Barton Passes

October 24, 2011/by Robert K Oermann

Country singer-songwriter Billy Barton has died at age 81.

Barton is best known for “A Dear John Letter.” As recorded by Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard, the song was a huge No. 1 hit in 1953. It launched both artists’ hit-making careers. The songwriter also wrote its follow-up, 1953’s “Forgive Me John.” In 1954, Billy Barton wrote the Jim Reeves and Ginny Wright duet “I Love You.” It rose to No. 3 on the national country hit parade. Webb Pierce scored a top-10 hit with the songwriter’s “You’ll Come Back” in 1958.

Bobby Bare and Skeeter Davis successfully revived “A Dear John Letter” in 1965. Barton’s songs were also recorded by Red Sovine, Pat Boone, Loretta Lynn, Ernest Tubb, Rose Maddox and others. During his lifetime, he registered more than 200 songs with BMI.

Billy Barton was also a performer and a recording artist. He was on The Louisiana Hayride and was Johnny Horton’s duet partner on Abbott Records in the 1950s. He also recorded for King, Gulf Reef, Sims, Fire, Vidor and other small labels. Several of his singles are considered collectible by rockabilly fans. He was sometimes billed on disc as “Hillbilly” Barton or “Billy Boy” Barton.

His real name was John Grimes. He died on October 8 at his home in Nashville. He is survived by three daughters, a son and six grandchildren and has been interred at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Robert K Oermann
Robert K Oermann
Robert K. Oermann is a longtime contributor to MusicRow. He is a respected music critic, author and historian.
Robert K Oermann
Latest posts by Robert K Oermann (see all)
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: Luke Grimes Releases ‘Relaxed, Thoughtful’ New Cover - December 7, 2023
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: Tim McGraw Delivers ‘Downright Inspirational’ New Track - November 30, 2023
  • Hit Producer & MGM Exec Jim Vienneau Dies At Age 97 - November 20, 2023
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png 0 0 Robert K Oermann https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png Robert K Oermann2011-10-24 13:54:302011-10-24 13:54:30Veteran Hit Writer Billy Barton Passes

RECENT NEWS

  • Brenda Lee Gets Her Flowers For Her Enduring Christmas Classic [Interview] December 8, 2023
  • Louis York To Headline Holiday Benefit Concert At Belmont’s Fisher Center December 8, 2023
  • Mediabase Reveals 2023 Year-End Chart Stats, Big Loud Lands In First Place December 8, 2023
  • Cooper Alan Among The Pandora Ten: Artists To Watch In 2024 December 8, 2023
  • Kidd G Drops Memory-Packed New EP ‘If We Were A Love Song’ December 8, 2023
  • Industry Ink: Ian Munsick, Marty Stuart, Average Joes, TLACC December 8, 2023
  • Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ First To Exceed $1 Billion, Crowns Pollstar’s Year-End Top Tours List December 8, 2023
  • Cody Johnson Tops MusicRow Radio Chart With ‘The Painter’ December 8, 2023
  • CRB Names Inaugural Futuri Digital Pioneer Scholarship Recipient December 8, 2023
  • My Music Row Story: Grand Ole Opry’s Dan Rogers December 8, 2023
  • Cole Swindell & Crew Celebrate Five-Week No. 1 ‘She Had Me At Heads Carolina’ December 7, 2023
  • DISClaimer Single Reviews: Luke Grimes Releases ‘Relaxed, Thoughtful’ New Cover December 7, 2023
  • Aaron Watson To Embark On ‘The Armadillo Dance Hall Tour’ December 7, 2023
  • George Strait Announces Christmas Sweepstakes To Benefit Jenifer Strait Memorial Foundation December 7, 2023
  • CMHOF To Launch New Online ‘Words & Music: Journey Of A Song’ Series December 7, 2023

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by MusicRow
© 2023 Music Row Enterprises, LLC – All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Scroll to top