“To me, an ‘outlaw’ is a man who did things his own way, whether you liked him or not. This world is full of people who want you to do things their way, not necessarily the way you want to do it. I did things my way.” — Johnny Paycheck
How much was Johnny Paycheck worth?
| Net Worth: | $10 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Singer |
| Date of Birth: | May 31, 1938 (aged 64) |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.65 m |
About Johnny Paycheck
Donald Eugene Lytle, better known by his stage name Johnny Paycheck, was an American country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who died on February 19, 2003. His estimated net worth was $10 million. The reason that he became known as Johnny Paycheck was for his fearless singing and his aptitude for interpreting a variety of songs. He enjoys listening to everything from murder ballads to devotional hymns.
Donald Eugene Lytle was born May 31, 1938 in Greenfield, Ohio and died on February 18, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Despite having numerous songs, including “Take This Job and Shove It,” Paycheck was never as well-known as fellow outlaws like Waylon Jennings.
Young Johnny Paycheck got his start performing in talent shows. The young vocalist moved to Nashville after leaving the Navy, where he had done time in a military prison for assaulting an officer, and found work with George Jones, Ray Price, and Faron Young.
Fast facts:
- Paycheck received two years in military jail after punching a higher officer while serving in the Navy.
- The Chicago heavyweight fighter Johnny Paychek is where the singer got his name.
- During a bar fight in 1985, Paycheck shot a man once in the head (the victim lived). The testimony given in court revealed that there had been a dispute over turtle and deer flesh. Paycheck was given a nine-year prison sentence, but was released after only two years.
Beginning with…
The country musician swiftly changed his stage name to Johnny Paycheck after initially releasing music under the name Donny Young. In 1965, he achieved his first significant success with the song “A-11.” Paycheck formed Little Darlin’ Records with his manager Aubrey Mayhew. For this label, he released the murderous “(Pardon Me) I’ve Got Someone to Kill” and the wrenching “Apartment #9,” which Tammy Wynette later covered.
The company quickly went out of business, bringing an end to Paycheck’s career’s first act. After meeting producer Billy Sherrill, who signed him to Epic Records, the second phase began. The biggest commercial achievements of Paycheck’s career came when he converted to Outlaw country in the early 1980s, culminating in the David Allan Coe hit song “Take This Job and Shove It,”
Paycheck’s life started to reflect the harsh lifestyle he sang about about this period. The singer was imprisoned in 1985 as a result of a bar shooting (Paycheck was the shooter). In 1991, after serving a two-year sentence, he was freed. Despite his run-ins with the law, Paycheck joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1997, the apex of mainstream country music.
The singer passed away in 2003 as a result of complications from emphysema and asthma. George Jones, a longstanding friend, paid for his burial. Upon passing away in 2003, Johnny Paycheck had a $10 million net worth.
“If it weren’t for the fans I would have been gone a long time ago. They’ve always stuck with me. I sing about the little guy who has been kicked around by the big guy. I sing from my heart and they know that.” — Johnny Paycheck
