Mae Boren Axton (September 14, 1914 in
Bardwell, Texas – April 9, 1997 in
Hendersonville, Tennessee) was known in the music industry as the 'Queen Mother of Nashville'.She received a co-writer credit for the song "
Heartbreak Hotel" made popular by
Elvis Presley.
She was an influential member of the Nashville
music industry. For decades she used her influence to contribute to the success of many musical careers including
Mel Tillis,
Reba McEntire,
Willie Nelson,
Eddy Arnold,
Tanya Tucker,
Johnny Tillotson,
Kelli Warren and
Blake Shelton.
Personal life
Mae Boren was the only daughter of Mark L. and Nannie Boren.
Lyle Boren, one of her eight brothers, was one of the youngest members elected to the US Congress in 1936. The family moved from Texas to Oklahoma when Mae was two. She attended
East Central State College and the
University of Oklahoma, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism. She obtained a public
teaching certificate and taught English and journalism at schools in
Broken Bow,
Moore,
Walters,
Frederick and
Ada.
Mae married John T. Axton, an officer in the US Navy, and they had two sons, country star
Hoyt Axton, born March 25, 1938 in
Duncan, Oklahoma, and a younger son, John, who became an attorney. The family lived in
Comanche, Oklahoma during the children's pre-teen years.
In 1949, Mae's husband was stationed in
Jacksonville, Florida; the family moved there. She taught...
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