Back to Oral History
  • Oral History

Johnny Bond

July 15, 1968 OH288 64 min.
Share

Biography


Country & western performer. Born June 1, 1915. Died June 12, 1978. Real name: Cyrus Whitfield Bond. Successful songwriter, radio and television performer, and recording artist. Career most active 1940s and 1950s. Wrote “Cimarron” in 1938. Popular cast member of Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch show and the Town Hall Party show. Member, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame®.

Interview Summary

1968 July 15
(1 hour, 4 minutes)
Western musician and songwriter Johnny Bond reviews his successful career. Discussion includes a brief review of his early childhood development of his musical interests; his start in the music business; experiences working on Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch shows; the move to western movies; writing the hit “Cimarron”; meeting Tex Ritter; working on the Town Hall Party television show; and his advice for aspiring musicians and songwriters.

We use cookies in the following ways: (1) for system administration, (2) to assess the performance of the website, (3) to personalize your experience, content and ads, (4) to provide social media features, and (5) to analyze our traffic. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Please consult instructions for your web browser to disable or block cookies, or to receive a warning before a cookie is stored on your computer or mobile device. Read our Privacy Policy.