Born April 1, 1936 in Farwell, Michigan
Johnny Colmus started displaying his musical talents at an early age. When he was all of four years old, he made his first public appearance at the little school house and sang “Happy Little Woodpecker’s Song”.
The family enjoyed country music. On Saturday nights, the family, including Johnny would tune into WSM and listen to the Grand Ole Opry. When he heard Ernest Tubb do his tune, “Our Baby’s Book”, he is reported to have said back then, “That’s the kind of music I’m going to play.” And he was only eight at the time!
The calendar turned a couple of years to when he was ten years old. He entered a Farwell Talent Show on Labor Day and walked away with the first prize of a US Savings Bond of $25.00. He won over the audience with his rendition of the then popular tune, “Cruising Down The River”.
A 1965 article notes “in pursuit of his life-long ambition” (and keep in mind, he’s only 12), he was appearing on a regular basis on the WCEN Jamboree that originated in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
He later joined the Bundy Mountain Jamboree show that aired over WPBN-TV in Traverse City.
During the early part of his career, he worked both as a sideman and as a front man for his own group. His sideman stints included time with Bill Lyon on WPBN-TV in Traverse City, Michigan and WWTV in Cadillac, Michigan. His travels with those groups took all over Michigan and into Chicago and Milwaukee as well.
When Johnny had his own group, he spent an entire season in Traverse City appearing at the O-At-Ka Beach Pavilion. In 1958, he was appearing regularly at Grand Rapids’ only country music night spot. He was entertaining audiences every Friday night at the Night Hawk Casino on Campau Lake. On Saturday nights, audiences heard him at Evelyn Genung’s Tamarack Barn Dance near Howard City along with the Country Rhythm Boys.
Johnny was starting to dabble in song writing in those Michigan days.
His musical journey took him to Nashville, Tennessee. He was there only four months when he became a part of the Cousin Jody show and was doing regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry - the show he grew up listening to. He told Paul Charon in a 1965 article that he was a jack of all trades music wise, but master of none, perhaps in a self-deprecating way. Paul tells us that Johnny played the steel guitar (his first love), piano, drums, bass guitar, lead guitar and banjo.
In addition to performing, he also did A&R work and found time to pen some tunes as well. He partnered with Clyde Beavers on the tune “Handprints On The Window”. That tune was on the flipside of Clyde’s “Sukiyaki (I Look Up When I Walk)” single.
Other tunes he penned and were recorded by others include:
From A King To A Joker To A Clown (recorded by Earl Scott)
Too Busy Saying Goodbye (recorded by George Morgan and Marion Worth
I’ll Just Call You Darling (recorded by Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn)
The Guest Star record label released an album entitled “The Late Great Cowboy Copas” that noted that Cowboy Copas was joined on the album by “…Johnny Colmus, an up and coming new artist who is sure to become a favorite of yours also.”
Apparently he was also handy with shop tools for Mr. Charon ends his feature on Johnny by telling fans to ask him about his 8-string fiddle that he carved out of a block of wood with just a butcher knife - and it played, too! We don’t know if we’d rather hear the fiddle play or see how someone could carve something like a fiddle with just a butcher knife - not your everyday type of hobby or side of work.
Credits & Sources
Eddie Adams Fan Club Journal No. 3; Agnes McDonald (President); Mt. Pleasant, Michigan (copy courtesy of Eddie Adams family).
Country Music Review; March-April 1964; Country Music Review; Devvy Davenport; Orange, CA
Country Music Review; June 1965; Cal-Western Publications, Inc.; Anaheim, CA
Stopping by to wish you a fantastic week!!! Hope all is going great with you!!! Check my schedule to see if I am coming to your town on the 3rd leg of my radio tour!!! Check out my newest single Whipping Post on Texas radio NOW!!! Love, ~Susan Hickman www.susanhickman.com www.reverbnation.com/susanhickman www.twitter.com/susanhickman
You are AWESOME!!! Thank you so much for being a friend!!! Hope you had a Happy 4th of July!!!!! God Bless America!!!!!
Wrapped Up In Me is #38 on the New Music Weekly Country Main Chart!!!! I am also #18 on the top 30 Indie Chart this week!!! It is on radio stations across the nation, you can request it now!!!!! Also, If you are around Friday August 28th I'll be having a big show at Tumbleweed Texas in Houston Texas I really hope to see you there!!! Love ~Susan www.susanhickman.com
Hello from Nashville; Thanks for being one of my MYSPACE friends and I wish you the best in your music career.
If you ever need original songs or are interested in recording in Nashville PHONE (615) 742 0666 or just sign up for my "FREE" NASHVILLE COUNTRY MUSIC NEWSLETTER to keep up with what's going on with Independent Country Music in Music City and gain a few contacts. . Just send a blank E Mail to subscribe to NEWSLETTER to NashvilleShowcase@comcast. net
