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Johnny Dollar (March 8, 1933 - April 13, 1986) was an American Rockabilly singer, guitarist, and songwriter, born in Kilgore, Texas. He was the son of Creek Indians who had moved from Oklahoma to East Texas. Johnny attended various schools, including Schreiner’s Military Academy, and at the age of seventeen, he joined the Marines, leaving home permanently. After his service, he worked in the oilfields of West Texas and held jobs as a truck driver and lumberyard hand while taking on occasional singing gigs. In 1952, Dollar recorded a single titled “Walking Away” for D Records at his own expense. He then worked as a deejay in Louisiana and New Mexico, forming a band called the Texas Sons and performing regularly on the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport. He also recorded another single, “Lumberjack,” on Slim Willett’s Winston label. By the late 1950s, he was in Dallas, embracing the rockabilly scene. With a distinctive stage name, Johnny Dollar connected with Ed McLemore, the owner and promoter of Big D Jamboree, and became a regular member of the cast.

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