Johnny Preston obituary

American singer who had a massive hit with Running Bear in 1960As a 20-year-old, Johnny Preston, who has died aged 71, had a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic with the song Running Bear. With its infectious, rhythmic "ooka-chunka" chant, it told of the doomed love affair of two Native Americans, and was composed by disc jockey and songwriter JP Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper. He said he was inspired to compose the song by a Dove-soap television commercial, but it was equally in...

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