Thomas Russell Durden was born the youngest of 7 children to a cotton share-cropper, December 15, 1919, in
Morgan County, Georgia. He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, where he learned to play the "Hawaiian" or slide guitar.
He played with the Westernaires, and eventually this band was a back up for Tex Ritter.
By late 1954, he was living in Gainsville, Florida where he met Mae Axton who helped him introduce the now
famous song he wrote with the assistance of Axton called HEARTBREAK HOTEL sung by Elvis Presley. This song quickly became Presley's first gold record!
Tommy passed away quietly at his home near Houghton Lake, Michigan at 4:00 PM Sunday afternoon October 17th 1999. He was inducted into the Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame on September 9, 1994 in ceremonies held at the
Saginaw County Fairgrounds.
Tommy had just recently retired from public appearances. Many artifacts of Tommy's career are on display at the Michigan Magazine Museum! Including
his famous pink tuxedo that he wore at many of his public performances...A copy of the hand written notes taken while he and Mae Axton worked on the words for Heartbreak Hotel....Some of the awards he has earned for authoring Heartbreak Hotel....A photo of
Tommy in Concert with his daughter Mary Durden Kenney...Tommy's Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame award....and a photo of Tommy as he was honored at the Michigan Magazine Museum Grand Opening with a presentation to him of the new Hybred Iris named HEARTBREAK HOTEL. (Tommy's daughter Mary Durden Kenney is also one of the backup singers, along with Phyllis Anderson and Janet Breyer, all of Houghton Lake, for the Michigan Magazine "theme song" Soar Like An Eagle)
For pictures and more information about Tommy Durden click here!
Tommy has been a guest on several MICHIGAN MAGAZINE Television segments. Those interviews and his induction are available
at the official Michigan Magazine web site.
