Mae Boren Axton
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Mae Boren Axton (September 14, 1914 in Bardwell, Texas - April 9, 1997 in Hendersonville, Tennessee) was known in the music industry as the 'Queen Mother of Nashville'. She was enormously influential in the Nashville music industry. For decades she used her influence to contribute to the success of many musical careers including Reba McIntire, Willie Nelson and Blake Shelton to name only a few.
Mae was married to the late John T. Axton. Together they had two son's, the late Hoyt and late John Axton.
Mae had friends and colleagues literally by the thousands. She was known simply by all who knew her as 'Mama Mae'.
It all began with Elvis' rise to the throne. Mae was a key player in helping launch his career. She'd met Elvis when she was in her early forties. At that time he was on Sun's label and not yet recognized nationally. She become a close friend and confidante to him. It was her influence that contributed to the marriage of Elvis and Col. Tom Parker triggering his ascent to RCA. Mae was a whip when it came to PR and she used her influence to help Elvis every chance she had.
Mae struck oil in 1956 when she and a man named Tommy Durden co-wrote a little song called 'Heartbreak Hotel'. She brought the song to Elvis to see if he might be interested in recording it. Elvis loved the song and soon put it to vinyl. The song became a smash hit soon after it's release and sold over a million copies.....a first for Elvis. The rest is history.
Mae was a school teacher by profession but had a strong passion for music. In the fifties 'rock and roll' was quickly becoming popular among the kid's and unpopular among most other's. For Mae as a school teacher to become it's ally was viewed by some like the Pope worshiping the Devil. Non the less, she pushed forward in her endeavors as an advocate of the music that would end up changing the industry forever.
Mae was known for much more than her musical attributes. She was a woman of her word. For example, there were many attempts by several to secure the publishing rights to 'Heartbreak Hotel' but Mae wouldn't budge. She had already promised it to Buddy Killen, her friend and executive of a publishing company. Once again, Mae had watered another seed that would grow into something big. That's right, Tree Publishing which grew to become the largest music publishing company in the world. Buddy Killen eventually became sole owner of Tree.
Mae wrote some 200 songs, 14 of which made the charts with 'Heartbreak Hotel' being number one on the pop chart for 8 weeks, the country chart for 17 weeks and reaching number 3 on the R&B chart.
After years of song writing, journalism and PR, Mae became vice president of administration and public relations for 'DPI' records. DPI had signed her son Hoyt Axton for his release of 'Spin of the Wheel' in 1993 as well as Mario Martin's debut album. Mae's health forced her into retirement in her late 70's. As a result DPI decided to close it's doors.
Tragically, in 1997 at the age of 82, Mae accidentally drowned in her hot tub at her home in Hendersonville, TN.
Mae's late son Hoyt was also a prominent singer/song writer as well. He was best known for writing the Kinston Trio's 'Green Back Dollar', Three Dog Night's 'Joy to the World' and 'Never Been to Spain'. He also wrote Steppenwolf's 'The Pusher' and 'Della and the Dealer' as well as Ringo Starr's 'No No Song'.
Elvis Presley also recorded 'Never Been To Spain' which was written by Hoyt, thus recording songs by both mother and son.
