Jimmy Wakely
Jimmy Wakely | |
---|---|
Vocals, guitar | |
Years active | 1939-1970s |
Labels | Decca, Capitol, Coral, Dot, Shasta Records |
James Clarence Wakely (February 16, 1914 – September 23, 1982)
Biography
Early years
Wakley was born in Howard County, Arkansas, United States,[2] but his family moved to Rosedale, Oklahoma by 1920.[2] As a teenager, he changed his surname to Wakely, dropping the second "e".[3]
Country musician
In 1937 in
During a tour through Oklahoma, the musician and movie star Gene Autry invited Wakely to come to California.[2] Autry felt the group might be a good addition to his new Melody Ranch radio show, which debuted on CBS in January 1940.[4] The Wakely Trio joined the show in mid-1940. He stayed for a couple of years, then left because of movie commitments and a recording contract with Decca Records that ran from 1941–1942 through 1947. Johnny Bond stayed with the show for most of its run (the show left the air in 1956).[3]
Personal life
Wakely married Dora Inez Miser on December 13, 1935. They had four children: Deanna, Carol, Linda and son Johnny. Their marriage lasted until his death in 1982.[3]
Western movie actor
In 1939, Wakely made his screen debut (with the Jimmy Wakely Trio) in a
- the Range Busters at Monogram Pictures
- Don "Red" Barry at Republic Pictures
- Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter at Universal Pictures
- Charles Starrett at Columbia Pictures
Wakely made only one film with Autry, Heart of the Rio Grande, at Republic in 1942.[3] He was sometimes referred to as a low-budget Autry in films. His response was, "Everybody reminds somebody of someone else until they are somebody. And I had rather be compared to Gene Autry than anyone else. Through the grace of God and Gene Autry, I got a career."[5] He appeared in 28 Westerns at Monogram between 1944 and 1949.[3][5]
Wakely also appeared in some non-Westerns, including I'm from Arkansas in 1944, a showcase for country and hillbilly performers who bring their comedy, tunes and yodeling to Pitchfork, Arkansas.[3]
Recording career
About 1941–1942, Decca gave Wakely a recording contract that ran until 1947.[3] After leaving films, he continued to record, switching to the Capitol label.[2] Though most of his songs were country Western, some crossed over to the pop charts, including collaborations with singer Margaret Whiting[2] and Karen Chandler, and for the Christmas song "Silver Bells".[5] He had a number one country hit with "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)",[2] a song originally released by Western singer Eddie Dean.
Comic books
Like other Western film stars of the era, Wakely had his own comic book series. DC Comics published 18 issues from Sept/Oct 1949–July/Aug 1952, billing him as "Hollywood's Sensational Cowboy Star!"[3][5]
Radio and television appearances
In addition to Autry's Melody Ranch, Wakely had his own CBS Radio show and co-hosted other programs.[2] He also made several appearances on television variety shows;[3] and in 1961 he was one of five rotating hosts on the NBC-TV program Five Star Jubilee.[2]
He also had one of the last live network radio programs at the NBC radio studios at the corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood, California in 1958.[citation needed] Excerpts of the program appear on Wakely's albums and CDs.
Recording company
In the 1960s and 1970s, Wakely developed Shasta Records and owned two music publishing companies.[2] He converted part of his California ranch into a recording studio, producing recordings for himself as well as for other country Western performers, including Tex Williams, Merle Travis, Eddie Dean, Tex Ritter and Rex Allen.[3] For his recording work, Wakely has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street.[6]
Later years
Later in life, Wakely performed at the
Death
After contracting
Awards and honors
Wakely was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971,[2] and the Western Music Association Hall of Fame in 1991.[7]
Discography
Albums
Year | Album | Label |
---|---|---|
1954 | Songs of the West | Capitol |
Christmas on the Range | ||
1956 | Santa Fe Trail | Decca |
1957 | Enter and Rest and Pray | |
1959 | A Cowboy Serenade | Tops |
Country Million Sellers | Shasta | |
Merry Christmas | ||
1960 | Jimmy Wakely Sings | |
1966 | Slippin' Around | Dot |
Christmas with Jimmy Wakely | ||
1967 | I'll Never Slip Around Again | Hilltop |
1969 | Heartaches | Decca |
Here's Jimmy Wakely | Vocalion | |
1970 | Big Country Songs | |
Now and Then | Decca | |
1973 | Blue Shadows | Coral |
Selected singles
Year | Single | Chart Positions | |
---|---|---|---|
US Country | US | ||
1943 | "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" | 14 | |
"Standing Outside of Heaven" | |||
1944 | "I'm Sending You Red Roses" | 2 | |
1946 | "Somebody's Rose" | ||
"Everyone Knew It But Me" | |||
"One Little Teardrop Too Late" | |||
1948 | "Signed Sealed and Delivered" | 9 | |
"One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)" | 1 | 10 | |
"I Love You So Much It Hurts" | 1 | 21 | |
"Mine All Mine" | 8 | ||
1949 | "Forever More" | 10 | |
"Till the End of the World" | 9 | ||
"I Wish I Had a Nickel" | 4 | ||
"Someday You'll Call My Name" | 10 | ||
"Tellin' My Troubles to My Old Guitar" | 14 | ||
1950 | "Peter Cottontail" (c/w "Mr. Easter Bunny") | 7 | 26 |
"Mona Lisa" (c/w "Steppin' Out") | 10 | ||
"Bandera Waltz" (c/w "Pot o' Cold")[8][9] | — | ||
1952 | "Love Song of the Waterfall" (c/w "Goodbye, Little Girl")[10] | — | |
1956 | "The Call of the Canyon" |
Collaborations
Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US Country | US | |||
1949 | "Slippin' Around" | Margaret Whiting | 1 | 1 |
"Wedding Bells" | 6 | 30 | ||
"I'll Never Slip Around Again" | 2 | 8 | ||
1950 | "Broken Down Merry-Go-Round" | 2 | 12 | |
"The Gods Were Angry with Me" | 3 | 17 | ||
"Let's Go to Church (Next Sunday Morning)" | 2 | 13 | ||
"A Bushel and a Peck" | 6 | 6 | ||
1951 | "My Heart Cries for You" | Les Baxter | 7 | 12 |
"Beautiful Brown Eyes" | 5 | 12 | ||
"When You and I Were Young Maggie Blues" | Margaret Whiting | 7 | 20 | |
"I Don't Want to Be Free" | 5 |
Filmography
Movies
This is a partial list of his movie credits, most of them are Westerns:[3]
- Money, Women and Guns (1959)
- Arrow in the Dust (1954)
- The Marshal's Daughter (1953)
- Lawless Code (1949)
- Roaring Westward (1949)
- Brand of Fear (1949)
- Across the Rio Grande(1949)
- Gun Law Justice (1949)
- Gun Runner (1949)
- Courtin' Trouble (1948)
- Outlaw Brand (1948)
- Silver Trails (1948)
- Cowboy Cavalier (1948)
- Range Renegades (1948)
- Partners of the Sunset (1948)
- The Rangers Ride (1948)
- Oklahoma Blues (1948)
- Song of the Drifter (1948)
- Ridin' Down the Trail (1947)
- Song of the Wasteland (1947)
- Six-Gun Serenade (1947)
- Rainbow Over the Rockies (1947)
- Song of the Sierras (1946)
- Trail to Mexico (1946)
- West of the Alamo (1946)
- Moon Over Montana (1946)
- The Lonesome Trail (1945)
- Riders of the Dawn (1945)
- Saddle Serenade (1945)
- Springtime in Texas (1945)
- Montana Plains (1945)
- Rough Ridin' Justice (1945)
- Sagebrush Heroes (1945)
- Of the Range (1944)
- Git Along Little Pony (1944)
- Saddle Leather Law (1944)
- Song of the Range (1944)
- Cyclone Prairie Rangers (1944)
- I'm from Arkansas (1944)
- Cowboy from Lonesome River (1944)
- Swing in the Saddle (1944)
- Sundown Valley (1944)
- Cowboy Canteen (1944)
- Cowboy in the Clouds (1943)
- The Lone Star Trail (1943)
- Robin Hood of the Range (1943)
- Raiders of San Joaquin (1943)
- Cheyenne Roundup (1943)
- Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground (1943)
- The Old Chisholm Trail (1942)
- Strictly in the Groove (1942)
- Little Joe, the Wrangler (1942)
- Deep in the Heart of Texas (1942)
- Come on Danger (1942)
- Heart of the Rio Grande (1942)
- Twilight on the Trail (1941)
- Stick to Your Guns (1941)
- Redskins and Redheads (1941)
- Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941)
- Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga (1941)
- Pony Post (1940)
- Texas Terrors (1940)
- Give Us Wings (1940)
- The Tulsa Kid (1940)
- Saga of Death Valley (1939)
- Ridin' Down the Trail (1939)
Radio
- The Jimmy Wakely Show (1952–1958)[3]
- Melody Ranch (1940–1942)[3]
- CBS Hollywood Barn Dance (1945–1947)[3]
Television
Wakely appeared as himself on several TV shows including:
- The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950)
- Toast of the Town(1951)
- Ozark Jubilee (ABC, 1956–58, 60)
- Country Hoedown (late 1950s, syndicated) sponsored by US Navy Recruiting[3]
- Five Star Jubilee (NBC, 1961)[3]
- Here's Hollywood (1961)
References
- ISBN 9781619115774.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Jimmy Wakely | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Wakely, Jimmy. "B-Westerns". B-westerns.com. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- ^ a b c d e [1] [permanent dead link]
- ^ Wakely, Jimmy. "Hollywood Walk of Fame Directory". Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
- ^ a b "James Wakely". Encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (October 7, 1950). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books.
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 28, 1950 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 29, 1952 – via Google Books.
Bibliography
- Seemann, Charlie (1998). "Jimmy Wakely". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 566. ISBN 978-0195176087
External links
- Jimmy Wakely at IMDb
- Jimmy Wakely at Find a Grave