Johnny Preston, born John Preston Courville on 18 August 1939 in Port Arthur,
Texas, was an American singer known for his contributions to rock 'n' roll and
rockabilly music. His early musical endeavours included performing with his high
school choir and later forming the rhythm'n'blues band The Shades while
attending Lamar State College in Beaumont. His breakthrough came when he met
disc jockey J.P. Richardson, also known as The Big Bopper, and producer Bill
Hall, who facilitated his audition at Mercury Records. His career took off with
the release of "Running Bear", a song writ...