Gary S. Paxton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary S. Paxton
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Paxton backstage at the Country Gospel Music Awards in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Larry Wayne Stevens |
| Born | May 18, 1939 Coffeyville, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | July 17, 2016 (aged 77) Branson, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Novelty music, country, gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1959–2016 |
| Labels | RCA, Garpax, NewPax |
Gary Sanford Paxton (born Larry Wayne Stevens; May 18, 1939 – July 17, 2016) was an American music producer, recording artist, and songwriter. He won a Grammy Award and a Dove Award for his work.
Paxton was part of the music groups Skip & Flip and the Hollywood Argyles. He also produced two number one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These hits were "Alley Oop" for the Hollywood Argyles in 1960 and "Monster Mash" for Bobby "Boris" Pickett in 1962.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Gary Paxton was born in Coffeyville, Kansas, and his first name was Larry Wayne Stevens. When he was three years old, he was adopted and given his new name. He grew up on a farm and had a tough childhood.
At age 11, he got very sick, which made it hard for him to walk for three years. When he was 12, his family moved to Arizona. By age 14, he started his first band, playing country and rock 'n' roll. He spent his teenage years touring the American Southwest with different bands.
Becoming "Flip" in Skip & Flip
Paxton became famous early on as "Flip" in the music duo Skip & Flip. His partner was Clyde "Skip" Battin. In 1959, they had a huge hit song called "It Was I" which sold over a million copies.
Interestingly, the song was recorded first, and then the group was put together. Gary became "Flip" and Clyde became "Skip" after the record label owner's pet poodles. Paxton once heard their song on a transistor radio while picking cherries and realized it was a hit!
The duo appeared on TV and toured with famous deejay Alan Freed. They had another hit song called "Cherry Pie". After this second hit, the duo decided to go their separate ways.
Hollywood Success and Unique Style
By 1960, Paxton was living in Hollywood, California. He worked on many different music projects. He was a performer, writer, producer, record label owner, and even an audio engineer.
He played a big part in creating two famous "novelty hits" in the early 1960s. Novelty songs are often funny or unusual. He also worked with popular artists like the Association, Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Four Freshmen, and Tommy Roe.
A Creative Music Producer
Paxton released his music on many different record labels, often his own. He seemed to open and close labels all the time and owned five recording studios. Over the years, he became known as a very unique person in the music world.
Other famous music producers like Brian Wilson admired his skills. Paxton was known for being super creative and great at promoting music, sometimes in really wild ways. For example, when a radio station said one of his songs was "too black," he organized a protest parade down Hollywood Boulevard. It included 15 cheerleaders and a live elephant pulling a Volkswagen car!
Moving to Country and Gospel Music
In the late 1960s, Gary Paxton started focusing more on Bakersfield sound country music. By 1967, he moved to Bakersfield, California. There, he ran several businesses and started a record label called Bakersfield International.
In 1970, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1971, after a personal loss, he became a Christian. He then used his talents for gospel music, becoming part of a movement focused on Christian faith. He continued to work in gospel music while also keeping an interest in country music. Paxton recorded many of his country and gospel albums using the name "Rusty Dean."
Later Years and Legacy
Paxton left Nashville in 1999 and lived in Branson, Missouri, with his wife, Vicki Sue Roberts. He faced health challenges, including a serious illness in 1990. Gary Paxton always made it clear that his name was Gary S. Paxton, not just "Gary Paxton."
In the 2000s, Paxton worked with many performers in Branson. This included former members of Bill Haley and His Comets, who recorded a song produced by Paxton. He was called "Grandpa Rock" for this project. The song was titled "When I Die, Just Bury Me at Wal-Mart (So My Wife Will Come and Visit Me)."
Gary S. Paxton passed away at his home in Branson on July 17, 2016. He was 77 years old and died from complications related to heart surgery and liver disease.
Famous Recordings and Awards
Besides his early work with Skip & Flip, Gary Paxton is most famous for his part in two "novelty hits." A novelty hit is a song that is often funny or has a unique theme.
- In 1960, he helped create the number one song "Alley Oop." This song was written by Dallas Frazier and quickly recorded with a group called the Hollywood Argyles.
- In 1962, he produced and recorded another number one hit, "Monster Mash." This song was inspired by a dance craze and was made with Bobby "Boris" Pickett and a group called the Cryptkickers.
Producing and Engineering Hits
In 1965, Paxton produced "Sweet Pea," a hit song for Tommy Roe. He also worked as an engineer on "Along Comes Mary," a hit for the Association. He even received a Grammy nomination for his engineering work on that song.
The next year, he engineered another hit for the Association, "Cherish," and another for Tommy Roe, "Hooray for Hazel." As Paxton moved into country music, he had his first country hit in 1967 with "Hangin' On" by the Gosdin Brothers.
Gospel Music Achievements
After becoming a Christian, Paxton focused on gospel music. He still worked in country music sometimes in the early 1970s. He wrote and produced "Woman (Sensuous Woman)" for Don Gibson, which was a huge seller. He also signed with RCA Records as a solo country artist.
However, gospel music became his main focus. In 1973, he wrote and produced "L-O-V-E" for the Blackwood Brothers. This song won a Grammy for Best Gospel Performance. In 1975, Paxton won the Best Inspirational Grammy for his own album, The Astonishing, Outrageous, Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable, Different World of Gary S. Paxton. This album included his popular song "He Was There All the Time."
Paxton brought his unique and funny style to his religious music. He called himself "an armpit in the body of Christ" and created song titles like "When the Meat Wagon Comes for You," "Will There Be Hippies in Heaven?", "I'm a Fool for Christ (Whose Fool Are You?)", and "Jesus Is My Lawyer in Heaven."
Paxton's gospel music was released through NewPax Records, a label he started in 1975. This label also released music by other Christian artists, including the band Daniel Amos. In 1999, Paxton was honored by being inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame. This recognized his new ideas and achievements in gospel music.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1975 - The Astonishing, Outrageous, Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable, Different World of Gary S. Paxton
- 1977 - More from the Astonishing, Outrageous, Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable Gary S. Paxton
- 1978 - Terminally Weird/But Godly Right
- 1979 - Gary Sanford Paxton
- 1979 - The Gospel According to Gary S.
Compilations
- 1980 - (Some Of) The Best Of Gary S. Paxton (So Far)
- 2006 - Hollywood Maverick: the Gary S. Paxton Story
- 2009 - "Grandpa Rock, Volume 1" - 50 years of Gary S. Paxton hits.
- 2011 - "Vote 'Em Out Boogie" - LuPax CDs. Duet with Jim Lusk.
- 2014 - "AARP Blues" - LuPax CD's. Duet with Jim Lusk.
