Hoyt Axton, beloved singer-songwriter, actor, and poet, passed away on October 26, 1999 at the age of 61. Axton was born on March 25, 1938 in Duncan, Oklahoma, the son of Mae Boren and John Thomas Axton. He was raised in Oklahoma, and later in California, and found early success as a folk-blues musician in the mid-1960s. Axton released 9 albums throughout his career, and had songs covered by multiple famous artists, such as Elvis Presley, The Kingston Trio, and Ringo Starr. Aside from his success in music, Axton also acted in various roles, including appearances in films such as Gremlins, Heartbreak Ridge, The Black Stallion, and Don’t Be a Menace To South Central. He also provided the voice for the character of B.J. McKay in Steven Spielberg’s popular Minority Report. Axton is remembered fondly as a ground breaking singer-songwriter and one of the first mainstream performers to perform outside of the pop and rock genres. He was also known for his warm personality and generosity, and was a close friend of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Hoyt Axton will live on through his music and be well remembered by lovers of folk and blues everywhere. He is and will continue to be dearly missed.