Musician. Founding member of the folk music ensemble The Highwaymen. The New Englander's initial experience on stage was his performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" while in first grade. It would not be until his attending at Wesleyan University, when music would be a focal point of his life. With the aid of inspiration from contemporary artists The Weavers and The Kingston Trio, the Highwaymen came to fruition, when fellow students Dave Fisher, Steve Butts, Chan Daniels and Steve Trott (also at one time including Gil Robbins merged their talents. A contract with United Artists led to instant success with the number one gold record "Michael" (1961), followed by their Top-20 score "Cotton Fields" (1961, reaching number 13 on the pop charts). At the height of their popularity, they appeared multiple times on the Ed Sullivan Show. After the group disbanded, Burnett went onto law school and attained his degree from Harvard in 1967. In 1990, the surviving members of The Highwaymen sued the super-group of the same name (consisting of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson) for copyright infringements. A compromised was reached which resulted in the original The Highwaymen reuniting and touring with the latter. In addition, five more albums would be recorded. Burnett died from brain cancer.
Musician. Founding member of the folk music ensemble The Highwaymen. The New Englander's initial experience on stage was his performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" while in first grade. It would not be until his attending at Wesleyan University, when music would be a focal point of his life. With the aid of inspiration from contemporary artists The Weavers and The Kingston Trio, the Highwaymen came to fruition, when fellow students Dave Fisher, Steve Butts, Chan Daniels and Steve Trott (also at one time including Gil Robbins merged their talents. A contract with United Artists led to instant success with the number one gold record "Michael" (1961), followed by their Top-20 score "Cotton Fields" (1961, reaching number 13 on the pop charts). At the height of their popularity, they appeared multiple times on the Ed Sullivan Show. After the group disbanded, Burnett went onto law school and attained his degree from Harvard in 1967. In 1990, the surviving members of The Highwaymen sued the super-group of the same name (consisting of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson) for copyright infringements. A compromised was reached which resulted in the original The Highwaymen reuniting and touring with the latter. In addition, five more albums would be recorded. Burnett died from brain cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
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