Steven Wayne Horton

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Steven Wayne Horton
Born(1954-02-24)February 24, 1954[1]
OriginMemphis, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedAugust 7, 2006(2006-08-07) (aged 52)
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1989
LabelsCapitol

Steven Wayne Horton (February 24, 1954–August 7, 2006) was an American country music singer. Horton's eponymous debut album was released by Capitol Nashville in 1989. Its first single, "Roll Over", was his only song to enter the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, peaking at No. 68 in 1989. A second single, "Tennessee Plates," peaked at No. 80 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.

Biography[edit]

Steven Wayne Horton was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He took musical inspiration from Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, and began playing guitar in fourth grade. In his preteen years, he formed a band that performed cover versions of rockabilly songs.[2] At a showing of the 1989 Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire! in Memphis, Horton performed a special 45-minute set with Lewis. That same year, he signed with Capitol Records Nashville and released his self-titled debut album.[2] The album was produced by Jack Holder, a Memphis-based guitarist who has also worked with Tracy Chapman.[3] Wayne Blesdoe of the Knoxville News-Sentinel gave the album a mixed review. He called it "well produced and fun" for its rockabilly influences, but considered it "old news" for the same reason due to the rise of artists whom he considered stylistically similar such as Marty Stuart and Steve Earle.[4]

Two singles were released from the album. His debut single "Roll Over" received a positive review from Lisa Smith and Cyndi Hoelzle of Gavin Report, who compared his voice favorably to Presley's.[5] The song peaked at number 68 on Billboard Hot Country Songs.[1] A second single, a cover of John Hiatt's "Tennessee Plates", charted at number 80 on the Country Tracks chart of the former RPM magazine in Canada, but did not chart in the United States.[6]

Horton released no further material, and died on August 7, 2006.[7]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Year Title Label
1989 Steven Wayne Horton Capitol

Singles[edit]

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US Country[1] CAN Country[6]
1989 "Roll Over" 68 54 Steven Wayne Horton
"Tennessee Plates" 80

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (2017). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2017. Record Research, Inc. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-89820-229-8.
  2. ^ a b Kay Knight (September 2, 1989). "STEVEN WAYNE HORTON:Bringin' Back the Memphis Sound" (PDF). Cash Box: 24.
  3. ^ Jim Richliano (August 26, 1989). "New on the charts" (PDF). Billboard.
  4. ^ Wayne Bledsoe (November 26, 1989). "Ronstadt returns to pop glory on 'Cry Like a Rainstorm'". Knoxville News-Sentinel. pp. 8, 9. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  5. ^ Lisa Smith, Cyndi Hoelzle (July 21, 1989). "New releases" (PDF). Gavin Report: 33.
  6. ^ a b "Search results for Steven Wayne Horton". RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  7. ^ "Steven Wayne Horton obituary". The Commercial Appeal. August 13, 2006. pp. B6. Retrieved May 8, 2022.