John Harrison Tolleson was born in Board Camp, Polk County, Arkansas, on July 29, 1937. His family moved to Greenwood, Mississippi, when he was eight.
Tolleson's mother taught him to play the piano when he was five years old. After high school he went to the University of Arkansas, where he played with the Bob Donathan Orchestra before creating his own band, John Tolleson and His Bunch, in 1957. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in music education in 1959.
Tolleson traveled to Canada in 1958 and 1959 to perform in Conway Twitty's opening act. He returned to Fayetteville for another degree, earning a Bachelor of Science in business administration in 1961. Tolleson then moved to Mason, Ohio, to work for Baldwin Piano & Organ Company, where he became vice president of sales. In 2001 Tolleson was appointed regional director of development at the University of Arkansas.
Tolleson passed away on October 6, 2020.
#1: Composite image of early photo of John Tolleson and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: John Tolleson's mother, Jo Tolleson, (front row, 7th from left), with her high school class, Magnolia A&M; Magnolia, Arkansas, 1928
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: John Tolleson at 3 months with his father, Hub Tolleson, and mother, Jo Tolleson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: John Tolleson at 3 months
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: John Tolleson as a baby
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: John Tolleson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: John Tolleson at 3 years old, Christmas, 1940
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: John Tolleson with his mother and father, July 29, 1941
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: John Tolleson in 2nd grade, 1943-44
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: John Tolleson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: John Tolleson in marching band uniform, 1951
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: John Tolleson at the piano
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: John Tolleson playing trombone
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: John Tolleson at the piano
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: John Tolleson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: John Tolleson at the piano performing with band; Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: John Tolleson and Gail Cooper (Tolleson) at the Sigma Nu White Rose Formal, spring 1960
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: John Tolleson and Gail Cooper (Tolleson) at a Sigma Nu Sadie Hawkins Dance, University of Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: John Tolleson (front), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 1959
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: From left: Joe Lewis, Conway Twitty, John Tolleson, and Blackie Preston at the Sigma Nu Sadie Hawkins Dance, Fall 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: John Tolleson's parents, Jo and Hub Tolleson, ca. 1975
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: John Tolleson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: John Tolleson's daughters, Julie and Leslie; Greenwood, Arkansas, 1969
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: John and Gail Tolleson with their daughters (from left), Leslie, Julie, Jennifer, and Susannah; 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: John Tolleson with his family; Camelback Mountain; Arizona; 1976
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Gail Cooper Tolleson, 1982
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: John Tolleson's daughters, Jennifer, Leslie, and Susannah, 1984
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: John Tolleson performing at his daughter Susannah's wedding, ca. 2005
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with John Tolleson, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with John Tolleson, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with John Tolleson, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
