When Jim Reeves started out, he was a traditional country singer, following the lead of other popular artists. But by combining the relaxed singing style of pop balladry with country music, he reached the top of the pop charts. He was the first crossover star of country music and his success led to the birth of the new Nashville Sound. Other artists followed him, including Patsy CLINE and Eddy Arnold. Together their new sound took the nation by storm. Since his death, many have tried to follow in Reeves’ footsteps, but his deceptively simple style has proved a very hard act to follow.
Born in 1923 (the Country Music Hall of Fame mistakenly gives the date as 1924) in Panola County, Texas, Reeves had an early passion for baseball. After high school, Reeves entered the University of Texas on a scholarship and his superior ability on the mound attracted attention from the majors. Reeves was soon signed up by the St. Louis Cardinals, but his ballplaying career was cut short by an unlucky fall. The resulting ankle injury was severe enough to put him out of the game for good.
After his marriage in 1947, Reeves and his wife, Mary, moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. There, he landed an announcer’s job with radio station KWKH. Reeves had overcome an early stammer while at the university and thereafter was known for his perfect diction. One of his new responsibilities was to announce the Saturday night shows, and occasionally he was allowed to sing on air.
The turning point in Reeves’ musical career came in 1952. Hank WILLIAMS, booked for a live radio performance, failed to show, and Reeves was asked to fill in. In the audience that night was Fabor Robinson, owner of Abbott Records. Robinson was impressed enough to sign Reeves to his label. In 1953, Jim scored his first No. 1 in the U.S. with “Mexican Joe.” Two years later, Jim signed with RCA and joined the Grand Ole Opry at the urging of friends Ernest TUBB and Hank Snow. In 1957 “Four Walls” was released, and it proved to be one of Reeves’ most memorable songs. Chet ATKINS thought “Four Walls” was a “girl’s song” and was unhappy at the idea of Reeves recording it. However, Reeves persisted, and he used this song to establish a new singing style. Lowering his voice and moving close to the microphone, he created an intimate ballad style unlike his earlier hillbilly tracks. “Four Walls” became a huge crossover hit. After this Atkins recorded Reeves as a balladeer, replacing steel guitars and fiddles with piano and strings. The 1959 release of “He’ll Have to Go” was perhaps the musical highpoint for Reeves, and is generally considered to be his greatest hit…topping the country charts for 14 weeks and making No. 2 in the U.S. pop charts. Over the next few years, Reeves continued to dominate the charts with recordings such as “Guilty” and the unforgettable “Welcome to My World.”
On July 31, 1964, Reeves and his manager were returning to Nashville from Arkansas. They flew into bad weather attempting to reach Nashville’s Beery Field, a few miles away. The plane crashed in dense woodland outside Nashville. Despite 500 volunteers helping to search…including some of Reeves’ fellow country stars…the bodies weren’t found for three days.
Before his death, Jim Reeves had built up a large catalogue of unreleased recordings, and over the next decade his widow continued to release new Jim Reeves records. In 1966, recordings including “Distant Drums,” “Is It Really Over?” and “Blue Side of Lonesome” were released.
Other recordings were remastered, and posthumous duets were created with country legends such as Patsy Cline. In 1975, more than ten years after Reeves’ death, his 40 Golden Greats reached No. 1.
Renee Jinks
SEE ALSO:
CASH, JOHNNY; HILLBILLY MUSIC; NASHVILLE SOUND/NEW COLJNTRY; POP MUSIC.
FURTHER READING
Streissguth, Michael. Like a Moth to a Flame: The Jim Reeves Story (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1998).
SUGGESTED LISTENING
Gentleman Jim 1955–59, Welcome to My World: The Essential Jim Reeves Collection.