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Jim Reeves Biography
Review The Artist (7)
Source: http://www.countrycapsule.com/Artist/Reeves.htm
orn: 8/20/1923
Birthplace: Panola County, TX
Deceased: 7/31/1964
Year of Grand Ole Opry Membership: 1955
Year in Country Music Hall of Fame: 1967
Jim Reeves' smooth, pop-flavored stylings helped expand country's boundaries and keep the genre alive during the years when the birth of rock 'n' roll seemed to signal the death of Nashville. Jim recorded a brief 11 years, from 1953 until his death in a 1964 plane crash, yet his music continued to chart into the 1980s, with several Top 10 posthumous hits.
Jim was born on a farm near Galloway, Texas, where he grew up listening to country artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, when he wasn't involved in his first love: baseball. He was the first-string pitcher at the University of Texas playing on an athletic scholarship when he was recruited by the St. Louis Cardinals and sent to play for one of their farm teams.
Unfortunately for Jim's sports aspirations, but fortunately for country music, he soon suffered an injury that sidelined him from the game.
He found a job as a radio announcer, and it was while working as a disc jockey that Jim decided to try his hand at recording. Success came quickly for the artist. By 1953 he'd moved to the Louisiana Hayride and had No. 1 hits with "Mexican Joe" and "Bimbo" on Abbott Records. In 1954, Jim embarked on a worldwide USO Tour, entertaining U.S. troops for the first of many times. His worldwide acclaim continued throughout his career and extended to overwhelmingly successful tours in both Europe and Africa. (Country histories point out that in Norway alone, Jim Reeves earned in excess of 16 gold, silver and platinum albums in the 1960's.)
In 1956, RCA signed him to a contract, and his nine shining glory years began. After five Top 10 hits, including 1957's best selling "Am I Losing You,'' Jim cut a George Campbell composition, "Four Walls," which stayed at the top of the country charts for two months, and hit No. 11 on Billboard's pop charts. Ironically, Chet Atkins was initially surprised when Jim brought the song to him; since the lyrics alluded to a person waiting at home for a wayward mate, the producer always considered it a woman's song. Jim Reeves saw it differently, and had his first No. 1 on RCA.
"Four Walls" was a classic example of the "Nashville Sound," the marriage between country lyrics and pop arrangements, where fiddle and steel were replaced by rhythm sections, strings and background singers. For some singers, the new sound was devastating, but for a voice such as Jim Reeves, it actually opened the door to more interesting vocal stylings. The presentation is as smooth as silk and at the time, ultra-contemporary on the airwaves.
As a result of his huge crossover appeal, Jim appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, where rock and pop acts were being discovered daily by America's teenagers. American Bandstand appearances, and guest spots on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Steve Allen Show and The Jimmy Dean Show led to even bigger television fame. In 1957 Jim was given his own show on ABC-TV, and he soon became a national household name.
"Blue Boy" was a country and pop hit for the artist in 1958, and inspired the naming of Reeves' band, "The Blue Boys." In 1959, "Home" hit No. 2 for two weeks, but it was just a prelude to the song that became Jim Reeves' signature. On December 7, 1959, RCA released "He'll Have To Go," which shot to No. 1 and was a chart-topping pop single as well. Originally, the song was a B-side record. |
Would you please submit the latest Jim Reeves biography to me? Thank You.
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Review about Jim Reeves
Jim in South Arica | Reviewer: Gerald vd Merwe | 7/2/09
I know for a fact that Jim had more fans in South Africa than any where in the world. He even made a movie called Kimberley Jim in South Afica. He sold more records in South africa than most other countries. He often came to South Afica. The day of his death all cinemas had a moment of silence with his photo on the sceen. People cried and sobbed. They loved him.
What a beautifull person. We still listen
to his music. Kareoke singers sings his songs in bars. IN South south Afica JIM IS UNFORGETABLE
Lamenting the untimely death of Jim Reeves | Reviewer: N Ray Prichard | 6/30/09
In July 1964 the radio was announcing that the private plane of Jim Reeves had failed to show up at his planned destination, we all feared the worst. Sure enough in very early August it was announced that the plane piloted by Jim Reeves had been found in a tree top in the mountains. He died alone and too young; he left us too soon. His smooth velvet voice has never been matched nor replaced. The likes of Michael Jackson are filthy rags in the annals of the music industry. The fools crying over Jackson would not know class or talent if if bit them in the !!<.
A Letter To My Heart | Reviewer: Maureen Obiageriaku Gbagir | 6/12/09
Each time I sing or listen to this song (and not this alone - several of his others), it does not stop touching the deepest of the deep of my heart. I just wonder what manner of man was this Jim. He stirs a love in my heart and I ask, do people like him still exist?
FOREVER YOU WILL REMAIN OUR MEMORY! | Reviewer: JOSHUA O. T. OLOYE | 12/20/07
READING HIS BIOGRAPHY IS SOMETHING THAT ONE NEEDS TO SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT HIS/HER OWN CHRISTIAN LIVING. HIS SONGS YET REMAIN EVERGREEN IN EVERY CHRISTIAN'S HEART, AS HIS EXEMPLARY CHRISTIAN LIFE CANNOT BE COMPARED. YET HE LIVES!
The one and only country music singer whome i would crown him as the emperor of country music. | Reviewer: george jacob | 9/16/07
Im so gratefull toall those people who keep the spirit of Jimreeves alive through these sites and reviews about various aspects about different incidents in his life. To mehe is the greatest of all the singers i can ever think of for all time to come . There will never again be another Jimreeves.
LEGACY. | Reviewer: OLANREWAJU MOBOLAJI | 7/28/07
JIM,
YOU LEFT A BIG LEGACY BEHIND YOU. THE BEST OF THE BEST IN COUNTRY MUSIC.
THOUGH YOU'VE GONE. THE LEGACY YOU LEFT BEHIND STILL SPEAKS VOLUMES.
ADIEU.
but you love me daddy | Reviewer: ginny | 3/8/07
does anyone know if jim reeves sang this song. my grandad used to play it to me and i was sure that he did sing it.
Review the Artist Jim Reeves
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