Country Music Hall of Famer Johnny “The Singing Cowboy” Bond (1st of June 1915 - 12th June 1978) and his band the Red River Valley Boys are prime examples from the days when jazz informed “hillbilly” music (or maybe it was the hillbilly informing the jazz). Born Cyrus Whitfield Bond in Enville, Oklahoma, he learned ukelele and guitar headed to Oklahoma City as a teen to play dances and radio shows as a member of the Singing Cowboy Trio and later the Bell Boys.

Read more about Johnny Bond on Last.fm.