He was an authority on heroin addiction, being an addict himself. He also co-authored "The Pusher", a virulent anti-drug anthem. Despite their bad-attitude stage presence, Steppenwolf were actually a cerebral band that eschewed excess and "the lifestyle". The frontman, John Kay, was an Iron Curtain refugee who had landed in Canada with his family. Something about Canada causes people to become musical - the list is endless.

Hoyt Axton was a genial giant whose magnificent baritone voice was everywhere in advertising up until his early death in 1999.

[link|http://www.sixcats.com/axton/hoyt.htm|http://www.sixcats.com/axton/hoyt.htm]

He wrote songs for everyone from Elvis to Three Dog Night. He's the most widely infuential unknown in rock history.