Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Requests for Info
Received via Website
Received via Website
2016-03-17
Kelly Hagy
hagypro(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
1251 S. 7th
Paducah, Kentucky 42003
two70-4four3-4one64
I have some questions about an article that was published in 2010 relating to Johnny Horton. I'm writing
a book about him and am concerned about the man calling himself Johnny Horton's son. If you can assist me
with this I would greatly appreciate it.
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2016-03-17
Standard reply to Kelly - email forwarded to MCHC members and others.
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2016-03-17
Thank you!
Kelly Hagy
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2016-03-17
John Brooks
bjohnr2010(AT)hotmail(DOT)com>
Kelly,
I'm not sure if the 2010 article that you are referring to was referenced on our website. Jeanne Williams
from the Temple Daily Telegram wrote a newspaper article dated October 31, 2010, referencing Tommy Horton,
Johnny Horton's son. If Ms. Williams still works there, her earlier email address was
jwilliams@tdtnews.com.
She may be able to shed some light on your concerns.
If you'll revisit our www.milamcountyhistoricalcommission.org site and enter Johnny Horton in the upper
right search box, you'll find numerous articles concerning Mr. Horton.
By coincidence, I composed an email, a few weeks ago, to Mr. Billy Barnett who is the Mayor of Milano.
I had hoped to encourage their community to establish an annual Johnny Horton Day. It was proposed to be
a day of festivities with music, a motorcycle fund raising ride, sale of Johnny Horton T-shirts and CD's,
food vendors and the like. I hope that he, and the wonderful folks in the Milano community, are able to
give my email some thought.
I'm sorry that I'm unable to share more information regarding Tommy Horton. Good luck on your book. If
you'll keep my email handy, I'd be interested in purchasing a copy since I'm a fan of the late Johnny
Horton, if you haven't already guessed.
Respectfully,
Jack Brooks
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2016-03-18
Kelly Hagy
Thank you for getting back with me. I had tried her email before writing you, and it bounced back as
undeliverable. I've also tried going through the Temple Daily Telegram, but she is no longer listed as an
employee.
I am a newspaper reporter from Paducah, Ky., and I've been working with Johnny Horton's daughters. They are
very hurt that there are impersonators (Tommy Horton and Johnny Horton, Jr.) claiming to be their father's
children.
This article struck me because Horton's brother was at that concert in 2010 and did not refute Tommy Horton's
claim. Johnny's daughter, Yanina, has told me she did not reconnect with Frank Horton until Frank was 92
(which is around the time of this concert). So it could be a case of family estrangement and they really
just did not know this man wasn't Johnny's son.
I believe something has happened over the years, though. Because now Tommy Horton claims to be a tribute
artist endorsed by the Johnny Horton Estate. I've also been in contact with entertainment industry reps in
Arkansas and Branson, MO. who have booked him for events with the full belief that he is Johnny Horton's
son. But I can assure you the family does not endorse this man and would love to have a DNA test to prove
his bloodline once and for all.
The man who calls himself Johnny Horton, Jr. has been of particular interest to me over the last few days,
because he is being recognized for his contribution to music in Colorado. I have a very strong reason to
believe he is a con man from Oregon, and as soon as I can get a mug shot from the Oregon Klamouth County
Community Corrections Dept., I will be able to prove it for sure.
In both cases, these men have made very lucrative careers off Johnny Horton's name. Meanwhile, his real
children are living hand to mouth in Shreveport, LA., caring for their mother, Billie Jean Horton, who is
in poor health and in a nursing home.
If you are able to have a Johnny Horton day, please consider including his daughters in the celebration.
They want nothing more than to honor their father, and be recognized for being his offspring. They would
be more than thrilled to participate!
Please keep me updated on the progress of your event. And out of Johnny's devout love of fishing, if you
threw in a fishing tournament that would be the icing on the cake :)
Kelly
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2016-03-18
Kelly,
Thanks for the reply. I suspected something like this by wording of your inquiry. Very interesting
information.
Please keep me posted. As Paul Harvey always used to say, "that's the rest of the story".
Jack Brooks
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