Studio Secrets A to Z - John Durrill - Part 2

Part two - Anthony talks with Award winning songwriter John Durrill. His songs have been sung by over sixty major recording artists in the US and around the world. Frank Sinatra, Cher, Chicago, Reba, Bette Midler, Ray Charles , The Everly Brothers, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Merle Haggard, Peggy Lee, and Fats Domino are a sampling of singers who have recorded his works. Durrill’s compositions have sold over 50 million singles, albums DVD’s, and CDs.

Starting out in 1967 John wrote and recorded the number one single, “Western Union”, and the following year joined the world famous group, The Ventures, recording “Hawaii 5-0” with them. He has written and recorded with The Ventures for over four decades, and in 2008 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Madonna, and John Mellencamp.

Durrill wrote songs for five of Clint Eastwood’s films creating the number one hit “Misery and Gin” for Merle Haggard in Bronco Billy. His top five song, “Charlotte’s Web”for The Statler Brothers in Smokey and the Bandit received multiple awards. Altogether John has composed for more than 20 films, and in the early eighties conceived the “Will Rogers Follies” that went on to receive several Tonys.

A long time affiliation with the musical group Chicago brought about his “Child’s Prayer” on the Chicago XXV Christmas CD, and his “Rockin and Rollin on Christmas Day” on the group’s O Christmas Three CD was written with group member Lee Loughnane.

.Currently, a book on John’s life is in the works entitled “My Life is a Song”, and he is composing music for film and television. Miranda Lambert recently sang his “Misery and Gin” on the ACM Awards Show.

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