Johnny Bush, songwriter who penned Willie Nelson's 'Whiskey River,' dead at 85 - Fox News

Johnny Bush, the country singer-songwriter best known for writing Willie Nelson's hit "Whiskey River," has died.

Born Johnny Bush Shinn III on Feb.

17, 1935 in Houston, the performer was known to his audiences as Johnny Bush due to a television announcer's flub when he was 17, his website states.

Singer-songwriter Johnny Bush performs onstage during the 46th Annual Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic at Austin360 Amphitheater on July 04, 2019 in Austin, Texas.

In 2001, the National Council of Communicative Disorders and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Associated honored Bush with their Annie Glenn Award.

Tanya Tucker once called Bush one of Texas' "best honky-tonk heroes" and had the opportunity to perform with Bush during her teenage years

In 1968, Nelson discussed his bond with Bush

“It seemed that one day I had never heard of Johnny Bush and then on the next day I had always known him,” Nelson wrote in 1968