Johnny Paycheck ~Touch My Heart (original recording)

Johnny Paycheck (May 31, 1937 -- February 19, 2003)

A one-time hell-raising renegade from Greenfield, Ohio, Johnny Paycheck took to playing music and raising hell at young age. Born Donald Eugene Lytle in Greenfield on May 31, 1937, Johnny was playing guitar at the age of six and singing professionally at the age of fifteen.

After dropping out of high school, Johnny began having minor run-ins with the law. However, none were serious enough to keep him from pursuing a career in music. While playing local gigs, he continued developing his skills as a songwriter and as a backup singer. Although he'd been writing since the mid-50s, it wasn't until two of his singles broke the charts in 1966 that he gained recognition as a songwriter. That year Ray Price charted with Touch My Heart and Tammy Wynette scored with Apartment #9.

A prelude to his solo career began as a bass player for Ray Price. From there Johnny took a job with George Jones. He stayed with George for six years, playing bass and later steel guitar. Paycheck also worked with Faron Young and Porter Wagoner.

Meanwhile, Johnny began working on a solo career by recording his own singles. Paycheck first appeared on the charts in 1965 with A-11. By 1966, Johnny had co-founded Little Darlin Records and for three years, he cut several sides for the label. Only one single The Lovin' Machine broke the top-10.

Paychecks big break came when he signed a contract with Epic Records in 1971. After his first recording session with Epic, he began turning out singles at a steady pace. In 1977, Johnny was on top of the charts with Take This Job and Shove It. The blockbuster single turned out to be his only No. 1 song. Johnny's final top-10 was called Mabellene, which charted in 1978. Johnny drifted in and out of the top-40 brefore being dropped from the Epic roster in 1984. In 1986, he joined Mercury Records, but after two years on the label, the Old Violin was his only top-40 song.

In 1989 Paycheck's career came to a screeching halt when he was sentenced to 9 and 1/2 years for shooting a barroom patron in Hillsboro, Ohio. While incarcerated Paycheck turned to religion and recorded an all gospel album. The man he shot didn't die. He was realesed from prison in 1991. Despite a rollercoaster career, he remained popular among traditional country music fans.

Although Paycheck suffered from drug and alcohol addiction during his career, he later was said to have "put his life in order" after his prison stay.

Suffering from emphysema and asthma after a lengthy illness, Johnny Paycheck died at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville and survived by his wife and son. Johnny's brother was killed in a car crash near Wilmington, Ohio in 2009.

Paychecks original material is readily available. If you prefer the early work of Johnny Paycheck, then you may consider Real Mr. Heartache, which includes The Lovin Machine, Motel Time Again and Jukebox Charlie. 16 Biggest Hits contains all the big hits, including Someone to Give My Love to, Mr. Lovemaker, Take This Job and Shove it and Friend, Lover, Wife.

The Little Darlin' Recordings 1966 - 1970

Musicians: Lloyd Green (steel guitar), Pete Wade & Billy Sanford (guitar), Buddy Spicher & Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Junior Husky (bass), Kenny Buttrey & Willie Ackerman (drums), Jerry Smith, Bill Pursell & Jerry Whitehurst (piano).

In November 1962, during the annual deejay convention held in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, Pickwick Records executive Aubrey Mayhew was approached by Eddie Crandall, who was carrying a demo tape of several songs he hoped to sell to Mayhew. Mayhew brushed him off, but Eddie persisted. Finally Mayhew agreed to listen to the tape. Just a few seconds into the first song, Mayhew asked Eddie "who in the hell is that singing?" The voice that caught Mayhew's attention was that of Johnny Paycheck. Thus began a ten year partnership between Mayhew and Paycheck that led to the Little Darling recordings and the springboard for Johnny's national stardom.
RJB, Country Music Historian, Nashville, TN, USA

Touch My Heart (1967)
Written by: Aubrey Mayhew & Johnny Paycheck

Touch my heart, feel the hurt - the pain and mysery
And tell me again what love has done for me

If you lived in my world awhile
You'd soon forget how to smile

For here there's a million ways to cry
If you had my eyes, you could see
How a woman changed my destiny

I'm a man who can't live and yet can't die
See these hands of mine and how they shake
My nerves are gone cause I can't break
the habit of remembering yesterday

Another love couldn't stop this ache
I know I'd make the same mistakes
Her memories always standing in my way

Touch my heart, feel the hurt - it's destroying me
I've tried but I can't seem the shake her memory
Touch my heart, feel the hurt - the pain and misery
And tell me again what love has done for me.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• movie

[jim09667]

@DRUMMERMANIAC1 thats a nice story bud . always loved this song .thanks

[latokatn506]

great song great voice thank's for posting 

[poppy3211000]

This has to be one of Johnny`s best.

[rockeycountry]

Just so so awesome. Love all of Paychecks songs. Thanks for posting

[DRUMMERMANIAC1]

Johhny Paycheck wrote most of this song, however Eddie Adams helped write a few lines in the song but was never credited for it..That song was wrote in Greenfield, Ohio on Maribeau st. in an upsatars apartment.. My father Eddie Adams.. AKA GRizz Sawbuck, & Paycheck stayed up 14 days writting songs with the help of diet pills,my mom remembers them sleeping for 3 days afterwards.

[ThePerpetualwoman]

Didn't know that Johnny did this one. Thought only Ray Price did it. Good info. Can view my cover of this one on my channel if you wish. Thanks for this share.

Ginnie

[asaro41]

I believe thats Lloyd Green on steel....

[bobbygee300]

I seen Him do this song on tv around 2001 or so. He had a rythmn and a steel guitar only as his band,

[jtls8]

This was awesome and thank you for the info box*****

[borncountryful]

Thank you very much.

Very pretty song I haven't heard!!*****!!