Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Jonny Preston |
| Full name | John Preston Courville Jr. |
| Born | August 18, 1939 |
| Birthplace | Port Arthur, Texas |
| Died | March 4, 2011 |
| Known for | “Running Bear”, “Cradle of Love” |
| Genre | Rock and roll |
| Family background | Cajun and German |
| Spouse | Sharron, also listed as Sharon |
| Children | Leslie Broussard, Lisa King, Scott Courville, Michael Pittman |
A Singer Built From Gulf Coast Heat and Small Town Momentum
I imagine Jonny Preston’s voice as quick as a car on a long Texas road, loud enough to turn heads and smooth enough to stay. Born in Port Arthur, Texas, on August 18, 1939, John Preston Courville Jr. lived his entire life as a Southeast Texas native. His narrative goes beyond a hit song. Local roots, family ties, chance discovery, and a brief renown that lasts decades are the subject.
Cajun and German origins molded his childhood, giving it a regional flavor. The launchpad at Port Arthur was unfinished. It was a sweltering, working environment where desire had to soar through regular streets to reach the charts. Preston did not appear suddenly. Choir contests, college halls, local bands, and the honest grind that feeds great pop music were his roots.
How Jonny Preston Found His Voice
Before the spotlight, Jonny Preston sang in high school choir contests and later attended Port Arthur College. He formed a group called The Shades, and that early period mattered more than it might seem. It was the workshop where timing, confidence, and performance were hammered into shape. Many singers arrive on the scene polished. Preston arrived with a voice already weathered by community stages and local attention.
His big break came in 1958, when J.P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, discovered him at a club performance. That moment was the hinge on which his career swung open. Richardson helped steer him toward recording “Running Bear” in Houston. The song was delayed after Richardson died in the plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, but the eventual release turned Preston into a national name.
“Running Bear” did not merely chart. It charged. It reached No. 1 in the United States, later hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom, and sold more than a million copies. That kind of success can feel like lightning in a bottle, but in Jonny Preston’s case it was also the result of a carefully timed record with a memorable hook and a story that caught fire with listeners. I see it as a song that rode like a wave, and for a time, he was on top of it.
Career Highlights and Musical Reach
After “Running Bear”, Jonny Preston followed with “Cradle of Love”, another major hit that reached No. 7 in the United States and No. 2 in the United Kingdom. He also recorded songs such as “I’m Starting to Go Steady”, “Feel So Fine”, and “Leave My Kitten Alone”. His chart career was strongest in the early 1960s, and he worked across labels including Mercury, Imperial, ABC, and TCF Hall.
He also made the kind of television appearances that helped a rock and roll singer become a household face. He appeared on American Bandstand, The Milt Grant Show, and The Buddy Deane Show. Those shows mattered because they carried music directly into American living rooms. In that era, a performer could become part of teenage memory almost overnight. Preston had that kind of reach.
His later career shifted away from the mainstream charts, but he never disappeared completely. By the 1980s and 1990s, he was touring on the oldies circuit in the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He also performed in 2009 and 2010 with the Lamar State College Port Arthur Touring Band. That detail matters to me because it shows a full circle. He began in local circles and returned, years later, to the kind of regional stage where the whole story started.
He earned recognition in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Museum of the Gulf Coast Music Hall of Fame. Those honors are not just decorative plaques. They are markers of durability. The charts are one thing. Memory is another. Preston managed to secure both.
Family and Personal Life
Jonny Preston’s family life wasn’t veiled, which sticks out. The public record was clear and grounded. Leslie Broussard, Lisa King, Scott Courville, and Michael Pittman were his children with Sharon, also known as Sharron. That gives his life a homey, not stagey aspect.
His daughter Leslie married Don Broussard. Alan King married another daughter, Lisa King. His son Scott married Anne Courville. His son Michael married Christi Pittman. These elements demonstrate the family’s generational expansion through marriages, homes, and towns.
John Preston Courville Sr. and Margaret Schexnayder Courville were his parents. His siblings were Helen Christy and Michael Courville. Michael wed Sally Courville. The family tree goes beyond names. It’s the subtle structure behind public speech. A singer like Preston can forget their domestic life when they become famous. The web is visible.
His descendants included 14 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Not a tiny legacy. It suggests an extensive existence beyond music and oldies radio. It evokes holidays, school runs, shared meals, and the rhythm that lasts beyond applause.
Later Years and Final Chapter
By the late 1960s, Jonny Preston’s recording career had slowed, but his identity as a performer did not vanish. He remained active in oldies circles and was still connected to his Southeast Texas roots. He underwent coronary artery bypass surgery in 2010 and died in Beaumont on March 4, 2011. He was buried at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches.
I think that ending matters because it places the man back in the geography that made him. Port Arthur, Beaumont, Port Neches, these are not just points on a map. They are the shoreline of his life. He began there, rose from there, and returned there in memory and burial. His story has the arc of a bright comet, but it never entirely left the orbit of home.
Extended Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1939 | Born in Port Arthur, Texas |
| 1950s | Sang in choir contests and attended Port Arthur College |
| 1950s | Formed The Shades |
| 1958 | Discovered by J.P. Richardson and recorded “Running Bear” in Houston |
| 1959 | Richardson died in the plane crash that delayed the song’s release |
| 1959 to 1960 | “Running Bear” became a No. 1 hit in the U.S. and U.K. |
| 1960 | “Cradle of Love” became another major hit |
| Early 1960s | Appeared on major TV music shows |
| 1960s | Recorded for Mercury, Imperial, ABC, and TCF Hall |
| Late 1960s | Mainstream chart career slowed |
| 1980s to 1990s | Toured on the oldies circuit |
| 2009 to 2010 | Performed with the Lamar State College Port Arthur Touring Band |
| 2010 | Underwent bypass surgery |
| 2011 | Died in Beaumont, Texas |
FAQ
Who was Jonny Preston?
Jonny Preston was a Texas rock and roll singer best known for “Running Bear” and “Cradle of Love”. He was born John Preston Courville Jr. in Port Arthur, Texas, and became one of the notable voices of early 1960s pop.
What was Jonny Preston’s biggest hit?
His biggest hit was “Running Bear”. It reached No. 1 in the United States and the United Kingdom and sold more than a million copies. It remains the song most strongly associated with his name.
Who were the family members of Jonny Preston?
His father was John Preston Courville Sr., his mother was Margaret Schexnayder Courville, his wife was Sharron or Sharon, and his children were Leslie Broussard, Lisa King, Scott Courville, and Michael Pittman. He also had a sister, Helen Christy, and a brother, Michael Courville.
Did Jonny Preston stay connected to Texas?
Yes, very much so. He was born in Port Arthur, lived much of his life in Southeast Texas, and later performed with the Lamar State College Port Arthur Touring Band. Even after his national fame, his identity stayed tied to the Gulf Coast.
What happened to Jonny Preston later in life?
His recording career slowed after the 1960s, but he kept performing in oldies settings. He had bypass surgery in 2010 and died in Beaumont on March 4, 2011. His burial took place at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches.
