Based on the fiddle tune "The Eighth of January", the date the battle was fought, high school principal and history buff Jimmie Driftwood (Morris) wrote "The Battle of New Orleans" and recorded it in 1958 for his album "Newly Discovered Early American Folk Songs".

Not only did Johnny Horton hit the number one spot with "The Battle of New Orleans", it was the number one song of the year 1959! The single is on the album "The Spectacular Johnny Horton". The next year it was the Grammy Award Song of the Year. In 1953, he had married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of country music singer and legend Hank Williams. This was something he had predicted years prior. For your own sake research Johnny Horton on-line and you will wonder why there isn't a film bio on this successful entertainer. One reason may be that his real life is almost unbelievable!