American folksinger, composer, guitarist and poet. He gained experience as an actor before he became part of the Greenwich Village folk scene by 1961. His albums include “New Songs from the Briar Patch” and “Heroes.” One of his major and much-recorded hits was “Ramblin’ Boy.” A favorite of intellectuals with his subtle social comment, he was married in 1963 and has two daughters.
Paxton grew up in a middle-class home and spent his early years mainly interested in sports. He moved with his family to Bristow, Oklahoma in 1948, where his dad died a few months later. While in high school, Paxton grew interested in an acting career and had enough talent to play trumpet in the school band. At 16, he received a second-hand guitar as a present from an aunt; by the time he graduated from high school, he was a proficient guitarist.
He studied drama at the University of Oklahoma and became intensely interested in folk music. He made his first public appearance as a folk singer at a campus variety show, and began to write his own songs. He received his B.F.A. degree in 1959, and appeared in a summer stock production that convinced him he didn’t have any real desire to be an actor. He gravitated toward folk singing.
His ambitions were temporarily put on hold with a six-month stint in the Army, during which time he haunted New York’s Greenwich Village coffeehouses whenever he had leave, mingling with other performers and writing songs. His first hit, “The Marvelous Toy,” was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary and the Chad Mitchell Trio. After his Army discharge, Paxton settled in New York City to devote himself to performing and writing songs. He shared an East Village apartment with Noel Paul Stookey, the “Paul” component of the Peter, Paul and Mary folk singing trio. Paxton became a regular fixture at clubs frequented by the leading performers of the day, and one of the clubs – Gaslight – made him singer-in-residence and issued his first LP album.
In 1961 and 1962, Paxton teamed up with another folk singer, Gil Robbins, on coffeehouse and club tours throughout America. His first major hit was “Ramblin’ Boy.” He signed a recording contract with Elektra Records, and recorded “Ramblin Boy” in 1964, “Ain’t That News?” 1965, “Morning Again,” 1968 and “The Things I Notice Now,” 1969. He continued touring.
In the early ‘70s, Paxton lived with his family for about three years in England, where he was very popular. His first album after he returned to the United States was “New Songs from the Briar Patch,” 1977.
Some of Paxton’s songs were inspired by his wife, the former Midge Cummings, whom he married on 8/05/1963. They had two daughters, Jennifer and Katherine.
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