Tucumcari - Jimmie Rodgers on The Jimmy Durante Show ( 1959 )

Tucumcari
Mini Biography for Jimmie Rodgers
Date of Birth - 18 September 1933,
Camas, Washington, USA
Birth Name - James Frederick Rodgers

Smooth, folksy, honey-voiced singer Jimmie Rodgers' career would never be the same after a December 1, 1967 altercation left him partially disabled. Remembered for a few singing hits of the late 50s and early 60s, Jimmie managed to prevail but at a much slower pace.

He was born September 18, 1933 in Camas, Washington, a few months after beloved Country Music Hall of Fame singer Jimmie Rodgers (known as "The Singing Brakeman") died of consumption. They were not related but perhaps Jimmie's mother, a piano teacher who often played for silent movie houses, was inspired to name her son after the country legend as the same exact spelling of the first name occurred. His mother taught the musically-inclined Jimmie the piano and guitar. He formed bands and served at one time with the U.S. Air Force. He later was discovered on Arthur Godfrey's talent show and was signed by Roulette Records, an offshoot of RCA.

In the late 50s, Jimmie's easy folk-pop style and melodic renderings caught on fast. A wonderful alternative to the rock-and-roll, he found a #1 overnight hit with the song "Honeycomb" in 1957 and followed things up with a handful of "top 10" singles including "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again," "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine," "Secretly," "Waltzing Matilda" and "Are You Really Mine." Signed by Roulette Records, he severed ties with the record company in 1960 after a money dispute and signed with Dot Records the following year.

Jimmie became a popular commodity during these years, touring with the likes of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Frankie Avalon. He made TV appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "American Bandstand" to the delight of his fans, and even parlayed his singing fame into a brief movie career with lead performances in the remake of The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come (1961), in which he co-starred with Disney's Luana Patten, and the war drama Back Door to Hell (1964). Both were only mildly received.

Things looked very promising with a TV summer series "The Jimmie Rodgers Show." Not an electric performer by any stretch, the good-looking singer with the trademark cleft chin had a natural and easygoing charm that appealed to the masses. In 1967, however, right after signing with A&M, Jimmie's life and career changed forever. In December of 1967, he was stopped by an off-duty police officer on the freeway after leaving a party. The details are sketchy and the incident remains a mystery, but Jimmie somehow suffered a severe skull fracture as a result of the encounter and claims the police brutally attacked him. The police report maintains that Rodgers was intoxicated and hurt himself when he stumbled and fell. Jimmie later sued the City of Los Angeles and settled out of court. His life, however, would never be the same.

Jimmie attempted a comeback of sorts, appearing regularly on "The Joey Bishop Show" in 1969, but after three brain surgeries he still suffered from convulsions and had trouble with balance. A portion of his face also sagged and he did not like appearing on camera for that reason. Forced into retirement in later years, he devoted himself to religion and performed only on occasion in the concert venue. Some of his more popular songs can still be heard on commercials. He was married three times and has five children.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Tucumcari
• Jimmie Rodgers
• Jimmy Durante
• 1959

[ThEhUmAnIt]

Does anyone know the chords for this song??

[MisterStereo]

@ThEhUmAnIt maybe check a web site.

[WALRU11]

How magical this all was: Jimmy Durante & Jimmie Rodgers! To be able to tune into talent like this - wow - was my childhood blessed! There was an ease, an innocence & joy to all of this that has gone from American life. It is wonderful to revisit this special brief era that gave us heart & hope before all the killings & beatings & bloodshed transformed the magic into the tragic. God bless you, Jimmie. You sang for all of us - and still do.

[MisterStereo]

@WALRU11 "Jimmie. You sang for all of us - and still do." is so very true.

Will we, in our respective countries ever see such an era again - I am uncertain about that.

Luckily, we still have those kinescopes and film to perhaps re-assert those thoughts and ideals that you so eloquently describe in your comment!!!.

Regards.

[NO1GONZO]

I used to have this on a "45". It must have broken as I haven't seen it in years! No one I know had ever heard of this song! Thx for posting this!!

[MisterStereo]

@NO1GONZO I have also lost a lot of 45's over the years.

Pleased to upload Tucumcari by Jimmie F. Rodgers.

A great singer in his unfortunate shortened singing career.

Enjoy.

[edddk12]

@MisterStereo Ty again-I was ed6604 last year. Still enjoying coming back and enjoying this great song, and memory.

[edddk12]

Great comment-same applies to me. Great memories of better times. If only Bro.

[xxblksabbathxx]

yeah Jimmie, CAMAS represent! lol

[ThEhUmAnIt]

@MisterStereo Well,I checked about 10 sites,but i found just some French song...

[WALRU11]

@MisterStereo All Jimmie Rodgers fans may be in for a marvelous treat in the not-so-distant future as a great deal of heretofore unseen live footage of Jimmie at his best will be made available, featuring this great pioneer folk-rock perfprmer singing his favorite folk songs. It will take time to put it all together, but rest assured, this will be a major media event for all Jimmie Rodgers fans.

[cboncklis]

What a sweet lovely song. Never heard it before... this is why Youtube is the greatest thing creating in the past 10 years.