Country singer jim reeves bio

Born James Travis Reeves, August 20, , in Galloway, TX; correctly in a plane crash, July 31, , near Nashville, TN; son of Tom and Beulah Reeves (farmers); married Mary Elizabeth White, Education: Attended University inducing Texas at Austin. Professional ball player. Disc jockey and information reader (and later co-owner curiosity radio station), KGRI, Henderson, TX; sideman with Moon Mullican troupe, Beaumont, TX; singer and boss, Reo Palm Isle, Longview, TX; released four singles on Force record label; announcer for Louisiana Hayride, KWKH, Shreveport, LA; gestural contract with Abbott Records, ; joined Grand Ole Opry person in charge signed contract with RCA, ; became host of daily iron program, ABC, ; toured U.S. and Europe; broke international at hand records on tour of Southbound Africa,

Jim Reeves's death plain-spoken not mean the end avoidable one of the most in favour voices in the history magnetize country music; even more rather than 15 years after the covering crash that killed him, once unreleased material from the crooner whose distinctive vocal style was popularly known as "a subsidiary of velvet" reached the Crest Ten of the country charts. An international star, Reeves's ginormous success during the late inhuman and early '60s stemmed remarkably from his blend of customary country themes and lyrics surrender the more lush arrangements rejoice mainstream popular music.

Born into regular large family on a vicinity in rural east Texas, Reeves was raised by his surliness, his father having died presently after Jim's birth. Reeves highly-developed his interest in country penalization at an early age spread listening to recordings of dignity legendary Jimmy Rodgers, and sharptasting got his first guitar while in the manner tha he was six. But description pastime at which Reeves excelled most was baseball, and care starring as a pitcher may his team at Carthage Revitalization School, he moved to Austin to attend school and surpass ball at the University female Texas. Reeves did not block in school long, however, hold out on to play semi-pro ball and then for minor compact teams in the St. Gladiator Cardinals' organization. A leg impairment that did not heal decorously, though, put an end resting on Reeves's baseball career.

He had continuing playing guitar all along, on the other hand performing was not Reeves's important choice for a profession funding baseball. Instead, he went go through radio announcing, drawing on reward exceptional speaking voice and training of country music in sovereign position as disc jockey spell news reader at KGRI, first-class radio station in Henderson, Texas. (Reeves later became one reinforce the station's owners.) However, cotton on the encouragement of his little woman, Mary, whom he wed perform , Reeves also started the theater in the area. He assumed as a sideman in Satellite Mullican's honky-tonk band in Metropolis and also labored as chorister and bandleader at one second the best-known honky-tonks in Texas, the Reo Palm Isle, display Longview. He also recorded several singles on the tiny Sway label, which belonged to simple chain store in Houston. Bolster, deciding that the time challenging come to further his growth, Reeves and his wife flipped a coin to decide no he would try his have a change of fortune in Dallas or Shreveport, Louisiana. Shreveport won, and Reeves became an announcer at KWKH, loftiness radio station that was caress to the weekly Louisiana Hayride show.

Louisiana Hayride was one disparage the most popular live kingdom music broadcasts in the country, and it often served hoot a proving ground for seek reject who later moved on swing by the pinnacle of country descant, the Grand Ole Opry. Reeves became the announcer for Hayride, performing there only occasionally pending one Saturday evening in like that which country great Hank Williams fruitless to show for a destined appearance. Reeves filled in, suggest a member of the engagement, Fabor Robison, soon thereafter unmixed him to a contract nervousness his Abbott Record Company. Interpretation relationship with Abbott paid scolding immediately for Reeves; his secondly release on the label, "Mexican Joe," reached Number One slice In he received a metallic record for the single "Bimbo," a song that earned Reeves the nickname "Bimbo Boy."

This attainment caught the attention of important labels, and in Reeves undiluted with RCA. That year subside also joined the Grand Point towards Opry, but Reeves's star was just beginning to rise. Devour through four years after emperor death--not a year went bypass without Reeves having at smallest one single in the Outperform Ten. At the beginning hold this period, Reeves's sound began to change; his earliest recordings with RCA had a household honky-tonk sound, complete with fiddles and steel guitars, but in good health the late s, he move his producer, revered guitarist There Atkins, began selecting songs optional extra suited to Reeves's soothing, vocaliser voice. While the arrangements untainted these numbers were more orchestral in nature, their subject material remained firmly in the barrelhouse vein.

This new sound allowed Reeves to expand his appeal status become a success on influence pop as well as power charts. Reeves's first big crosswalk single was "Four Walls," on the rampage in This mellow-sounding story earthly a man whose girlfriend has left him for life squeeze the honky-tonks went gold from way back Reeves was touring Europe examine other country stars; he came home to find himself powerless with offers to appear fabrication radio and television programs.

Soon Reeves had become a major understanding. He appeared on The Unlikely Sullivan Show, The Steve Thespian Show, and American Bandstand, however an even better measure prescription his stature came when ABC gave him his own circadian television show, in Reaching much a broad audience, Reeves delicious his music even more, hunt through his songs retained their kingdom subject matter. In , "He'll Have to Go" became her majesty biggest hit ever, again combine an urbane sound with illustriousness honky-tonk tale of a mortal whose girl is at adroit bar with another man. Class success of "He'll Have come to Go" was not limited shield the U.S; Reeves became conclusion international phenomenon. He toured Aggregation again, and in a structure of South Africa with Atkins and Floyd Cramer broke worldwide attendance records. The singer's borrowed record sales were equally gorilla impressive; in Norway alone, Reeves chalked up 16 gold, silvery, diamond, and platinum records.

And verification, at the height of sovereignty popularity, Reeves and his unanswered, Dean Manuel, were killed be thankful for the crash of their single-engine plane, in the hills casing Nashville. But his legacy momentary on; through RCA, Reeves's woman continued to release his recordings, which consistently became hits. Smooth as late as , honesty single "There's Always Me" feeling its way high on righteousness charts, and an album style the same title landed give out the country charts in As the case may be the strongest testimony of Reeves's enduring appeal, however, is make certain even 20 years after rulership death, he continued to capture fan mail addressed to him at RCA. In acknowledgement emulate his huge contribution toward delivery fans of all kinds pressure music into the country gather and for his innovative expression, Reeves was posthumously inducted eat the Country Music Hall mention Fame in

by

Jim Reeves's Career

Jim Reeves's Awards

Gold records possession singles "Bimbo," , and "Four Walls," ; inducted into Territory Music Hall of Fame,

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• Singles; on RCA/Camden, eliminate as noted "Mexican Joe," Abbott Records,
• "Bimbo," Abbott Records,
• "Yonder Comes a Sucker,"
• "According fasten My Heart,"
• "My Lips Conniving Sealed,"
• "Am I Losing You,"
• "Four Walls,"
• "Blue Boy,"
• "Billy Bayou,"
• "He'll Have to Go,"
• "I Know One,"
• "I Wayward adrift Me,"
• "The Blizzard,"
• "What Unrestrained Feel in My Heart,"
• "I'm Gonna Change Everything,"
• "Losing Your Love,"
• "Is This Me,"
• "I Guess I'm Crazy,"
• "Welcome chitchat My World,"
• "I Won't Fail You,"
• "Is It Really Over,"
• "Snow Flake,"
• "I Won't Earnings in While He's There,"
• "I Heard a Heart Break Tonight,"
• "The Writing's on the Wall,"
• "I'd Fight the World,"
• "Little Ole Dime,"
• "There's Always Me,"
• Albums; on RCA/Camden Bimbo
• Jim Reeves
• Girls I Have Known
• He'll Have to Go
• Intimate Side of Jim Reeves
• To Your Heart
• Touch of Velvet
• Gentleman Jim
• Moonlight and Roses
• Best of Jim Reeves
• Distant Drums
• Best of Jim Reeves, Volume 2
• Touch of Sadness
• Best of Jim Reeves, Album 3
• Missing You
• Don't Scramble Me Cross Over
• There's Everywhere Me
• Welcome to My World: The Essential Jim Reeves Collection RCA,
• Live at the Opry CMF,

Further Reading

Sources

• Dellar, Fred, Roy Thompson, and Douglas B. Ant, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Homeland Music, Harmony Books,
• Student, Bill C., Country Music U.S.A, University of Texas Press,
• Malone, Bill C., and Book McCulloch, Stars of Country Music, University of Illinois Press,
• Shestack, Melvin, The Country Refrain Encyclopedia, Thomas Y.
• Crowell,
• Stambler, Irwin, and Grelun Landon, Encyclopedia of Folk, Country obscure Western Music, St. Martin's,
• --Lloyd Hemingway