It was during the period of mid-1950’s, at the same time The Ozark Jubilee was in full swing and had nation-wide popularity, that Johnny met Porter Wagoner at the short-order counter of a downtown Springfield drugstore within shuffling distance of the Jewell Theater. Over eggs and ham, Porter told Johnny that he had moved to Springfield from West Plains to pursue a singing career, and Johnny told Porter that he wrote songs. Through that new friendship, Johnny presented Porter with the words and a music demo tape of what would become the stepping stone to both of their careers, and “Oh Mama, I’m excited,” “Company’s Comin'” busted onto the music scene, with recordings and performances by Porter, Red Foley, Norma Jean, Faron Young, Jack Benny, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Danny Kaye, Mel Tillis, and Mickey Mouse, among others, and it was even translated and recorded in French in 1970. The Homestead Pickers opened up Silver Dollar City with that song for many years. It has been in a couple of movies, and people still tell me and Mom that they heard it somewhere in Branson, Missouri or across the world. The success of “Company’s Comin'” led Dad on his first journey to Nashville in 1955 to accept a BMI Award for one of the top songs of 1954 and was also the beginning of a life-long friendship and musical relationship with Si Simon of Earl Barton Music based in Springfield.
Johnny had strokes of luck that placed his foot in the music industry door, and he was sought out for more songs, initially by his friends from the Jubilee era, and later by others who knew his reputation, or by those who Dad submitted songs to through trips to Nashville, or by sending demos through the good ol’ United States Post Office. These connections led to two country standard hits for Johnny that sealed up his credibility as a country songwriter.
In 1962, Loretta Lynn had just signed to Decca Records, and at that point in her early career she hadn’t written her own hit song yet. She recorded Johnny Mullins’ “Success (Has Made A Failure of our Home)” —
“We used to go out walking hand in hand. You told me all the big things you had planned. It wasn’t long ’til all your dreams came true. Success put me in second place with you.”
That became Loretta’s first top 10 hit, and she asked him to write her another song. There was no hesitation on Johnny’s part to say, “You bet, I will, Loretta!” Since Loretta has blue eyes and is from Kentucky, Johnny came up with “Blue Kentucky Girl” sitting on the porch at Johnny and Peggy’s first home in Springfield. After carrying it around in her guitar case for about a year, Loretta did record it in 1965 and continued to sing it in her concerts throughout her 60-year career.
In 1979, Rodney Crowell approached his friend, Emmylou Harris, and suggested she work up a cover of Blue Kentucky Girl for the country concept album she was working on with her Hot Band. Not only did she record the song, it was the title track of the album, and both Emmylou and Johnny were nominated for a Grammy in 1980. Emmylou won her Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance of Blue Kentucky Girl. Dad didn’t win his Grammy for Best Country Song, but he DID win the two biggest assemblies ever held at Wilder Elementary School! One as a send-off, and the other one to welcome their janitor back home from the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards in Hollywood, California to the sound of squeals, cheers and pom-poms swirling in the cafeteria of the school that Dad had swept countless times, and would sweep up again after that party.
