From:   "jean.marc.pezet 
Date:  Tue Aug 20, 2002  3:03 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You: Jim Reeves
 
JIM REEVES (By Shaun Mather)

Born James Travis Reeves, 20 August 1923, Galloway,
Panola County, Texas
Died 31 July 1964, near Nashville, Tennessee

I've never been to a wedding (or a funeral) yet where my
dad, my uncle and myself haven't sang the boot-laces off
He'll Have To Go. The song is a classic, but the velvety
baritone of Jim Reeves makes it absolutely legendary.
Our version isn't so good, in case you're wondering!

Jim Reeves achieved world-wide fame thanks to his easy
listening voice, perfect pitch and pronunciation and
faultless Nashville Sound backing. His hits came at a
time when country music was enjoying its golden period for
crossover success, Gentleman Jim being one of its
greatest exponents. He played semi-pro baseball with the
St. Louis Cardinals for three years but was forced to
retire through injury. He began singing and spent a time
as the frontman for Moon Mullican's band. In 1949, he
recorded for the small independent Macy label, before
turning to broadcasting on KSIG in Gladewater, Texas, and
KGRI in Henderson eventually moving to KWKH in
Shreveport, Lousiana in November of 1952 where he secured
a spot on the Louisiana Hayride.

Abbott Records immediately signed him and his debut
single for them, "Mexican Joe" quickly climbed to number
one in the spring of 1953, spending nine weeks in top
spot. The follow-up, "Bimbo" also reached number one. In
1955 he signed for RCA under the supervision of producer
Chet Atkins and joined the Grand Ole Opry and began to
develop a lusher sound. "Yonder Comes A Sucker" was his
first Top Ten hit for RCA in the summer of 1955 and
a long string of successes began: "Four Walls" (number
one for eight weeks, 1957), "Anna Marie" (1958), "Blue
Boy" (number two, 1958), "Billy Bayou" (number one for
five weeks, 1959), "He'll Have to Go" (number one for 14
weeks, 1960), "Adios Amigo" (number two, 1962), "Welcome
to My World" (number two, 1964), and "I Guess I'm Crazy"
(number one for seven weeks, 1964). [Mind you, we're
talking of the country charts here, not pop - Dik]

Together wih his manager Dean Manuel he died in a plane
crash outside of Nashville on July 31, 1964. A series of
posthumous singles were released, most charting
including, "This is It" (1965), "Is It Really Over?"
(1965), "Distant Drums" (1966), and "I Won't Come in
While He's There" (1967) which all hit number one.
Amazingly he charted every year between 1970 and 1984.
He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in
1967 and two years later, the Academy of Country Music
instituted the Jim Reeves Memorial Award.

His legend has survived and whilst mankind still has an
ear each side of his head, there's every likelihood that
his catalogue will continue to sell and his name will
remain synonymous with the Nashville Sound.
Don't be fooled by the silky image though, Jerry Lee
reckons that Jim Reeves was the only singer in Nashville
who could drink him under the table. And his wig was
amongst the best in entertainment.

Recommended listening:
The Abbott Recordings Vols 1 & 2 - RCA Germany
Live at the Grand Ole Opry - Country Music
Welcome To My World: The Essential Jim Reeves - RCA
Welcome To My World - Bear Family 16 (!) CD-set.

Official website: http://www.jimreeves.net/
There is a so-so biography by Michael Streissguth : Like
a moth to a flame :
The Jim Reeves story (1998). Larry Jordan is
preparing "Jim Reeves: His Untold Story" (2003?).