Johnny Horton – Johnny Horton’s Greatest Hits (1961):  I have had this record a long, long time; it is possible that Johnny Horton’s Greatest Hits is my very first album.  Such a shame that it is so warped, but the album plays much better than I was afraid it would:  The last three songs on Side 1 play fine, as does basically all of Side 2.  Johnny Horton was a leading country and rockabilly musician who is best known for recording story songs that are often based on historical events, particularly “The Battle of New Orleans” and “Sink the Bismarck”, but also including “North to Alaska”, “Johnny Reb”, “Comanche”, “Jim Bridger”, and “Johnny Freedom (Freedomland)”.  The collection is rounded out by his more conventional songs.  I recently picked up a double album of Johnny Horton classics that I like even better.  Johnny Horton’s career was tragically cut short when he was in a fatal auto accident in 1960.