Johnny Gimble
Johnny Gimble | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | John Paul Gimble |
Born | Tyler, Texas, U.S. | May 30, 1926
Died | May 9, 2015 Dripping Springs, Texas, U.S. | (aged 88)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, fiddler |
Years active | 1938–2015 |
Labels | CMH Records |
Website | Official website |
John Paul Gimble (May 30, 1926 – May 9, 2015)
Gimble was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018.[3]
Biography
This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2023) |
External audio | |
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Johnny Gimble: 'The King Of The Swing Fiddle', interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air, 21:51, April 8, 2010.[4] |
Gimble was born in Tyler, Texas, United States,[5] and grew up in nearby Bascom. He began playing in a band with his brothers at age 12, and continued playing with two of them, George and Jerry, as the Rose City Swingsters. The trio played local radio shows, and gigs at dance halls. Gimble later moved to Louisiana and began performing with the Jimmie Davis gubernatorial campaign. He was offered a job in the Governor's administration but turned it down to volunteer for service in the U.S. Army. Gimble returned to Texas after completing his service in the U.S. Army in World War II.
Back in Texas, Gimble continued to hone his fiddling skills with a number of Texas radio and dance bands. In 1948, he made his first recording, playing with Robert Brother's Rhythmairs in
His fiddling style was influenced by other Texas fiddlers who played the "breakdown" fiddle tunes. Gimble's fiddling style, while uniquely his own, came to be known as the "Texas fiddling style" that emerged during the first half of the twentieth century among fiddlers such as Cliff Bruner, Louis Tierney, and Jesse Ashlock. Gimble learned from them, and further developed while playing with Wills, who epitomized and promoted a new sound known as Western swing. Western swing rose to national prominence in the 1940s, combining the old-time, Southern-derived Anglo string band tradition, with its breakdowns, schottisches, waltzes, and reels, with the big band jazz and pop music of the day.
After Gimble married Barbara Kemp of
In 1955, Gimble moved to
From 1979 to 1981, Gimble toured with
Gimble's career spanned into the 21st century, recording with Vince Gill,[12] Tanya Tucker, and performing at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards with Carrie Underwood in 2007.[13] "Until Lloyd Maines surpassed him, Johnny held the record for most appearances on Austin City Limits. He played with heart and soul and had an infectious spirit and sense of adventure - both in his music and personality," said ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona.[14] Johnny was also a regular on Minnesota Public Radio's A Prairie Home Companion hosted by Garrison Keillor,[15] who in 1994 penned "Owed to Johnny Gimble" as a tribute to his friend after Gimble received the NEA's National Heritage Fellowship, and who performed the song again on May 9, 2015, to commemorate Gimble's life.[16]
Personal life
Gimble and his wife Barbara were divorced twice and remarried twice. They had a son and two daughters, and as of 2022 they had four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.[12]
Johnny and his son Dick Gimble, a college professor of music at
Gimble's granddaughter, Emily, is a notable vocalist and keyboard player who has performed with Johnny, Asleep at the Wheel, Warren Hood, and Hayes Carll. Emily was a regular member of Asleep at the Wheel as keyboardist and vocalist from 2014 to 2016, a band that frequently partnered with Johnny to bring the music of Bob Wills to newer generations. She has since launched a solo career, based out of Austin, Texas, and followed Johnny's footsteps as the State Musician of Texas for 2020.[17]
Gimble's grandson, Jon Gimble, is the District Clerk in
Death
Gimble died not far from his home in Dripping Springs, Texas, on May 9, 2015, aged 88.[1] His daughter stated that her father was "finally rid of the complications from several strokes over the past few years".[20]
Partial discography
- His final album, Celebrating with Friends - 2010, features duos with long-time collaborators Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Dale Watson, and his son Dick and granddaughter Emily Gimble, and was produced by Ray Benson.[21]
- A Case of the Gimbles - 2005. A collaboration with Johnny, son Dick Gimble, and granddaughter Emily Gimble.
- Under the X in Texas - 1992. Gimble's self-published classic featuring several self-compositions.
- Still Fiddlin' Around 1988. Gimble's LP featuring standards and self-compositions published by MCA Records[22]
- Glorybound - 1987. Gimble's instrumental gospel album, originally published by Word Records in Waco, Texas [23]
- Texas Fiddle Collection - 1981. Gimble's double LP published by CMH Records [24]
- Johnny Gimble & the Texas Swing Pioneers - 1980. Double LP produced by CMH Records [25]
- Johnny Gimble's Texas Honky Tonk Hits[26]
- Johnny Gimble's Texas Dance Party - 1976. Gimble's live album recorded at the Chaparral August 29, 1975. Produced by Columbia Records [27]
- Fiddlin' Around - 1974[28]
Awards and honors
From 1975 to 1990, he was nominated 15 times for Instrumentalist of the Year and won the
In 1994, Gimble was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship as a Master Folk Artist from the National Endowment for the Arts.[30]
In 1999, Gimble was inducted into the
In 2005, Gimble was named State Musician for the state of Texas.,[32] and inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.
Gimble was posthumously inducted into the
Discography
Albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [34] |
US Country [35] |
AUS [36] |
CAN [37] |
CAN Country [38] | |||
Honeysuckle Rose (credited as "Willie Nelson and Family") |
|
11 | 1 | 34 | 24 | 4 |
References
- ^ a b "Legendary fiddler Johnny Gimble dies at 88". The Tennessean. May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ^ Bush, John. "Johnny Gimble | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ Tingle, Lauren (March 27, 2018). "Country Music Hall of Fame Elects Ricky Skaggs, Dottie West, Johnny Gimble". Cmt.com. Country Music Television. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble: 'The King Of The Swing Fiddle'". Fresh Air. WHYY (NPR). April 8, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- ^ Litweiler, John (May 26, 2015). "Johnny Gimble: American Musician". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Marty Robbins - The Essential Marty Robbins 1951-1982 (CD)". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ Shadrock, Christopher (March 28, 2018). "Legendary fiddler who once hosted KWTX show joins Country Hall of Fame". Kwtx.com. KWTX-TV. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ Betts, Stephen L. (May 11, 2015). "Legendary Fiddle Player Johnny Gimble Dead at 88". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ "Honeysuckle Rose (1980): Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.com. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble (1926-2015)". IMDb.com. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ a b Weber, Bruce (May 13, 2015). "Johnny Gimble, Who Fiddled His Way to Fame, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Western Swing Hit Gets Resurrected by Carrie Underwood". Country Rebel. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble 1926-2015". acltv.com. Austin City Limits. May 11, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ Collins, Bob (May 14, 2015). "The man who put the swing in our prairie home". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Script: Owed to Johhny Gimble". A Prairie Home Companion. Minnesota Public Radio. May 9, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ Joyce, Matt (July 13, 2020). "Emily Gimble, 2020's Texas State Musician, Grew Up On Western Swing". Texashighways.com. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Governor Abbott Appoints Gimble to Texas Judicial Council".
- ^ "District Clerk's Office". Co.mclennan.tx.us. McClellan County, Texas. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Famed Country Fiddler Johnny Gimble Dies at 89". Abcnews.go.com. May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ Jeff Tamarkin. "Celebrating with Friends - Johnny Gimble | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble - Still Fiddlin' Around (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble - Glorybound (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble - The Texas Fiddle Collection". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble And *Texas Swing Pioneers, The - Still Swingin' (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Texas Honky-Tonk Hits - Johnny Gimble | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble - Johnny Gimble's Texas Dance Party (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. August 29, 1975. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Fiddlin' Around - Johnny Gimble | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ^ "Artist: Johnny Gimble". Grammy.com. Recording Academy. 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble: Anglo Western Swing Fiddler". Arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ "Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ "Official Texas State Musicians". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. March 20, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Johnny Gimble". Country Music Hall of Fame. 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Honeysuckle Rose chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
- ^ "Honeysuckle Rose chart history: Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-646-11917-5.
- ^ "Search results for "Honeysuckle Rose" -- Top Albums/CD's". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
- ^ "Search results for "Honeysuckle Rose" -- Country Albums/CD's". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Willie Nelson – Honeysuckle Rose". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – Willie Nelson & Family – Honeysuckle Rose (soundtrack)". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- Gimble official website
- Johnny Gimble discography at Discogs
- The Strings of a Father, feature about Gimble published by Texas Monthly