Orval Prophet

Canadian country music artist and songwriter (born August 31, 1922 in Edwards, Ontario - died January 2, 1984 in Ottawa Ontario). Nicknamed “The Canadian Ploughboy”, he received his first guitar as an 11-year-old farm boy. At age 22 he made his professional debut on Ottawa radio station CFRA's "Fiddler's Fling" show and played regularly on air and in its touring version for 5 years. In 1949 he joined Wilf Carter on tour, who was impressed enough to land Prophet a contract with Decca. However, Prophet would have to pay for the recording session and it took him a couple years to raise the money. In January 1952 he recorded his first session in Nashville (after Hank Snow he was the second Canadian to record in Nashville), yielding his first release I'm Going Back To Birmingham / Don't Trade Your Love For Gold. Prophet continued recording and touring through the 50s and 60s, also gaining international fame under the pseudonym "Johnny Six" with his 1957 recording "Mademoiselle" proving popular worldwide as well being a major hit in Canada. It was under that name he toured with Johnny Cash at the end of the 50s. His hectic appearance schedule and the loss of his beloved wife Lois Haley in 1969 took its toll, as he suffered two heart attacks and underwent open-heart surgery in December 1970. Bouncing back quickly, in 1971 he appeared on CBC's Tommy Hunter Show and signed with Columbia Records of Canada, Ltd.. This rejuvenated his career with the #1 single "Mile After Mile" and kicked off off another decade of chart appearances and performances across North America. Inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Honor in 1984. inducted posthumously into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985. Inducted posthumously into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989.