Johnny Preston

Johnny Preston (born John Preston Courville, August 18, 1939, Port Arthur, Texas) is an American singer. Of Cajun ancestry, Preston sang in high school choral contests throughout the state of Texas. He formed a rock and roll band called 'The Shades', before recording his No. 1 hit single "Running Bear." The song was written by J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who had died the previous year in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Preston quickly followed up with a minor hit called "Cradle of Love," and made several other records during the early 1960s that met with modest success. "Cradle of Love" however, was a big hit in Athens, Greece in the early 60s. Johnny Preston's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.