Hoyt Axton

The late Hoyt Axton was a Singer-Songwriter whose seemingly effortless blend of folk, country and pop earned him millions from cover versions of his songs. The son of Mae Boren Axton (who wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" for Elvis Presley), he first hit pay dirt in the early 1960s when clean-cut folk superstars the Kingston Trio had a smash with the Axton-penned "Greenback Dollar." While Axton struggled to establish himself as a performer in the late '60s, Three Dog Night had a huge hit with another Axton tune, "Joy To the World," and prototypical hard rockers Steppenwolf covered Axton's "The Pusher" for the Easy Rider soundtrack. Axton eventually did become a star in his own right. He had a warm, slightly rough-edged voice, as well as a charismatic stage presence that eventually led to many acting roles. He died unexpectedly in 1999.