Houston Davis (born William Houston Davis; December 15, 1914 – November 15, 1987) was an American composer, arranger, teacher of music, dance band drummer, and later in his career, a justice of the peace in Hinds County, Mississippi.
Career
Growing up and early career
As a child, Davis was born and raised in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His father, Edward Samuel Davis (1874–1952) was a barber. Davis played snare drum in a community marching band in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His father played bass horn. Davis went on to study music at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (his photo is in the university's 1935 yearbook). During college, Davis also led his own dance band. Northeastern's music faculty included Henri S. Minsky (1908–1980), a violinist who was director of bands.
Around 1936, Davis began playing drums with the Wally Stoefler Orchestra, and stayed with the group until about 1940. Stoefler's press releases often singled out Davis as "that famous Oklahoma drummer." At some point in his career, he then taught high school music and band.
Davis moved to Mississippi in 1942. In the latter 1950s, he wrote a number of political songs, but, was mostly composer and arranger for hire, as was advertised in a brochure published around 1960:
Songwriting career
Davis wrote campaign songs for Mississippi Governors Ross Barnett and Paul Johnson. He composed "Go, Mississippi", which, in 1962, became the official state song for Mississippi. He also composed country songs, such as "I'm Broke", "Girls Don't Wear Dresses Anymore", and "Crop Duster".
Non-music career
In 1972, Davis was elected justice of the peace in Hinds County, Mississippi. Davis ran as an independent for mayor of Jackson, losing to Russell Carlos Davis (1922–1993), a Democrat, in the June 5, 1973, general election. Russell Davis was mayor of Jackson from 1969 to 1977. He wrote fiction for a national magazine.
National recognition
July 15, 1933: Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Davis received recognition for having held a drum roll in 1938 for 6 hours, 30 minutes, 20 seconds. The former record had been set by a member of Sousa's band. Davis was admitted to ASCAP in 1965.
Selected works
Sheet music
"Caracas" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 June 1947; EU80333 (unpublished)
"Got a Rock In My Shoe" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 June 1947; EU80332 (unpublished)
"I Wonder How Much You Love Me" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 26 June 1947; EU81765 (unpublished)
"Put On The Coffee, Sarah" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 January 1947; EU80334 (unpublished)
"There's A Star Shining Bright" D. Bynum (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Dolly Bynum, Jackson, Miss. 23 March 1947; EU67985 (unpublished)
"Yolanda and Joe" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 June 1947; EU80335 (unpublished)
"Rose of My Heart" James Vernal Fout & Houston Davis Delta Records, Jackson, Mississippi (custom recording)
"I'm Sending You A Kiss On A Star" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © w&m Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. October 1947; EU96063 (unpublished)
"Think Of You" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © m Leon Daniel 10 September 1947; EUJ92147 (unpublished)
"A Tootin' Tune From A Hootin' Distance" William Houston Davis (music) © w Elma Brown Monroe 28 September 1947; EU95446 (unpublished)
"Heartbreak" William Houston Davis (arrangement) Sadie Nordin Sallis (w&m) 22 April 1949; EU164320 (unpublished)
"I Do, I Do, I Do" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 March 1949; EUI61837 (unpublished)
"Sand Castles" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 March 1949; EUI61836 (unpublished)
"That Cozy Little Cabin" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 February 1949; EU158212 (unpublished)
"When God Made You" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 21 April 1949; EU164819 (unpublished)
You Can't Hold His Hand While You Still Hold My Heart" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 March 1949; EUI61838 (unpublished)
"I Want To Write A Song For The Hit Parade" William Houston Davis (music) © w Ruby Stroud Ricketts August 8, 1949; EU175503 (unpublished)