Mitchell Torok
Mitchell Joseph Torok (born October 28, 1929, date of death unknown) was an American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist and author, best known for his 1953 hit record "Caribbean". He also wrote "Mexican Joe", which catapulted Jim Reeves to stardom. They began to write together and charted with many top 20 hits. Torok reached the Billboard charts several times: in 1957 with "Pledge of Love" (Billboard Top 20), written by his wife, Gail Redd; in 1959 with an updated version of "Caribbean" (No. 27 on "Billboard"); with "Redneck Nat' Anthem" by Vernon Oxford in 1976; with Jerry  Wallace and their song "This One's on the House" (Top 20); and with Bill Phillips's "I Can Stand It (As Long as She Can)". In 1960, Torok's recording of "Pink Chiffon" topped out at No. 60 on "Billboard". His last hit record was "Instant Love" in 1965, produced by Jimmie Bowen. Early life and education. Torok was born in Houston, Texas, United States in October 1929, to Hungarian immigrants Niclos and Irene Torok, with an older brother named William (1922–2020). He was playing guitar by the age of 12, but unlike most country singers of his era  he did not grow up with country music at a young age. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas from 1948 to 1953, on a football and baseball scholarship. Torok majored in art and minored in world history, and played baseball in Garrison, Texas whilst studying. Early career and chart success. Torok recorded his first session in Houston with a duet partner named Sally Lee. These masters later wound up on Imperial Records. During the next two years, he performed his own morning radio show on KSFA and KFRD, in Rosenberg and KTRE in Lufkin. Impressed by  the rolling East Texas hills, Mitch recorded two singles for the FBC label in Rosenberg, the "Nacogdoches County Line" and the "Piney Woods Boogie". One of Torok's idols, Hank Williams, died suddenly on January 1, 1953. Inspired by a need for some happy songs, he immediately penned a happy-go-lucky song titled "Mexican Joe," which he wrote in thirty minutes, initially intending the song for another one of his idols, Hank Snow. But, a new record producer and label owner from Hollywood, Fabor Robison, happened by Nacogdoches and found Torok and the song. Torok wanted one of Robison 's supposed heavy West Coast artist to record his song. He reluctantly gave it to him and his Abbott record label, to be recorded by one of his own struggling artists, the then unknown Jim Reeves, in Shreveport. (Torok, feeling the chances of Reeves' record hitting were small or nonexistent, planned to use the Jim Reeves record as a "demo" to send to Hank Snow.) Reeves had been hired to be an announcer on KWKH and the "Hayride Show", but not allowed to sing. Torok's song, "Mexican Joe", was recorded by Reeves and it became a number one hit , and spent seven weeks riding the top of the "Billboard" Country Music Charts. Torok was then signed to Abbott Records. A month later wrote his own number one hit that became popular in both the "Billboard" Country and Jukebox charts, and remained at the top for four weeks. The song was "Caribbean". It remained on the country chart for 24 weeks, also a top five hit on both the Best Sellers and Disc Jockey charts, as well as being a No. 13 hit in Australia. Torok became a member of "Louisiana Hayride" on KWKH-AM in Shreveport. In 1954, his  song "My Arabian Baby" appeared as the B-side of Snow's hit "I Don't Hurt Anymore". Torok gained a No. 8 country hit with "Hootchy Kootchy Henry (From Hawaii)" and in 1956, after joining Decca Records in Nashville, he had top ten success on the UK Singles Chart with his and Gail's song, "When Mexico Gave Up The Rhumba" and "Red Light, Green Light". This success led to a four-month tour of the United Kingdom in 1957, headlining at the London Palladium. His shows included English comedian Dickie Henderson and Shirley Bassey. It marked the only  time Torok has performed with a full pit orchestra with written arrangements on all the songs, led by Torok's own conductor, Maurice " Tex" Bromley, at the on-stage piano with him. In the next few years, Torok made further recordings for Mercury, and RCA. His last US chart entry was "Instant Love" for the Reprise record label in 1967. Prior to that, he had two other hits on the "Billboard" Hot 100: "Pledge of Love" hit No. 25 in 1957, and "Caribbean" hit again in 1959, peaking at No. 27. In 1960, "Pink Chiffon", also on Jamie/Guyden peaked  at No. 60 and, in 1996, this song was used as main title music in RKO Pictures film "Laura Smiles" (2006). Later career in music and art. Torok continued to write songs, working in partnership with his wife (who has used both "Gayle Jones" and "Ramona Redd" as pseudonyms, the latter being her maiden name). Their songs were recorded by artists including: Skeeter Davis, Kitty Wells, Hank Snow and Willie Nelson, Jerry Wallace, Billy Walker, Barbara Eden, Glen Campbell, Dean Martin. Clint Eastwood sang their song, "No Sweeter Cheater than You" in the Warner Brothers "Honky Tonk Man" movie. They  also wrote the title song "Look Out, Ol' Norwood's Comin' Home!" for Glen Campbell's Paramount movie "Norwood", and five other songs on different Campbell albums, including "Arkansas, a tribute to Glen's home state. Hank Snow recorded Torok's songs: "Caribbean", "Dogbone", "My Arabian Baby" and "The Mysterious Lady From St. Martinique" on one of his last RCA albums. "The Redneck National Anthem" was a top 20 hit for Vernon Oxford in 1976. Combining his art and music, Torok was commissioned to paint a 110-foot, five-panel mural titled "The History of the Grand Ol' Opry", which  was on display in the Ryman Auditorium until it was remodeled for live performances. The mural served as a fund raiser for Hank Snow's Abused Children's Foundation while there, as tourists made donations after viewing the mural. He then created the "Elvis-a-Rama", which consisted of a 12-foot-high, 125-foot-long mural with a 22-minute light and music show depicting his life, from his truck driving days in Memphis to his death in 1977. It has been shown in Nashville, in Branson, and recently in Las Vegas, and has been signed by over 50,000  Elvis fans. Mitchell and his writing-partner, wife Gail also created a tribute to Nashville's 200th birthday while writing for Cedarwood Music, with a 12-song LP recording titled "Nashville", filled with songs based on Music City's history. They also wrote, produced and performed on a Texas history album, titled "The Ballads of Texas". Torok also wrote a book and accompanying CD, titled "Jim Reeves, Me & Mexican Joe", which tells the story of how the song made its way to Reeves. Torok also created smaller artistic tributes to Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, Dolly Parton, Big John Merritt  and other smaller creations. Personal life and death. Torok married Gail Redd, a beauty queen, from Lufkin, Texas, in 1951. She died on August 3, 1985, at the age of 52. In April 2014, it was reported that Torok had moved to Alvin, Texas at the age of 84, to live with his daughter. The obituary of his brother, William, from November 2020, notes that Mitchell Torok predeceased him.