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Jimmie was born on September 18, 1933. He graduated Camas, Washington High School in 1951. Following high school he completed one year of college studying engineering.
It was at this time, during the Korean War that Jimmie decided to serve his country and joined the United States Air Force. In 1952 Jimmie was stationed in Korea supporting the front lines of the Korean conflict. It was here that Jimmie discovered his singing ability. At night in the barracks he moved the spirits and souls of his fellow airman with his melancholy soothing ballads.
From Korea he was transferred to Memphis, Tennessee, where in the evening he earned pocket money by singing in local clubs. It was here that he first learned the song “Honeycomb”. Jimmie took the song, added his unique arrangements, singing style and smoother than silk voice, and made it his song.
Following his military career he returned to his hometown, Camas, Washington and decided to attempt a singing career. Soon he became a local celebrity, singing in various small clubs for even smaller wages. Washington State was good to him, not only did it give Jimmie singing confidence, but it also re-united him to his childhood sweetheart and bride to be Colleen McClatchey.
Jimmie and Colleen (deceased) were married on January 4, 1957. Following their wedding, Jimmie and Colleen moved to Los Angeles, California, where Colleen had worked as an actress.
It was time for Jimmie to reach out for the “brass ring” and attempt to break into the record industry. Jimmie’s first big break came in New York where he auditioned and won a talent contest on the Arthur Godfrey national television show. He sang the song “Fox and the Goose”. At the same time, he also cut his first record demo for Roulette Records. The record demo was “Honeycomb”. The rest is history. “Honeycomb” went to Number One on the charts and stayed there for seven weeks.
Jimmies career eventually encompassed over 450 recorded songs, his own television shows and motion pictures. Jimmie was married for 7 years 1970-1977 to Trudy Ann Buck. They had two sons, Casey William Rodgers born
1972, and Logan Andrew Rodgers 1974. Casey is a martial arts instructor and have a 4 degree blackbelt in Aikido. Logan is married to Caroline and they are both chemical scientists. The whole Rodgers family are very close and united.
Today Jimmie resides in Palm Springs, California with his wife Mary, teenage daughter Katrine and 4 dogs. Jimmie continues to write music, poems and is extensively involved in writing and scoring animated films and for over 30 years Mary have been a Foley Artist, i,e, sound effects. She create the sounds for television and movies and have received many Emmy’s and Golden Globes Award for her work. Mary have done numerous movies and hundreds of television shows.
He has just finished writing his autobiography book “Dancing On The Moon” and screenplay for its motion picture adaptation. His highly charged emotional autobiography, detailing the savagery of the recording business, his tragic life threatening beating by a Los Angeles off-duty policemen leaving him with a metal plate as a skull to the tragic deaths of loved ones in his family. The screen play is currently being circulated within the film community.
The following are some of the highlights and music of Jimmies career.
Born 1933 September 18th. Father and mother both musical.
1951. graduated high school one year collage engineering.
1952. March 26 Air force Korea.
Stationed in Nashville Sewart AFB after Korea.
Bought the guitar he still has…
Worked in Printers Alley singing in Club Unique.
Discharged returned to his home in Camas, Washington.
1956 April. Worked in small clubs around home town. Lived out of his car, a 1948 Buick. Went to LA Auditioned and sang on Art Linkletters house party show. CBS LA.
Singer, Chuck Miller (House of Blue Lights Mercury Records) heard him at the Fort Café in Vancouver Washington and convinced him to go to New York. Did Arthur Godfrey’s talent scout show, sang “Fox And The Goose” and wins. Auditions for Roulette Records in New York, song “Honeycomb” and wins again.
1957 Jan. 4. Married childhood sweetheart Colleen McClatchey.
1957: July records “Honeycomb”. Number 1 in 3 weeks. 22 weeks on charts. Cashbox and Billboard.
August: Ed Sullivan Show CBS TV. National.
Lavern Baker: August 30 until Sept 8th.
Allen Freed’s Holliday rock and roll show.
Brooklyn Paramount theater: Little Richard, Buddy Holly and the Cricket’s, Mickey and Silvia, The Del Vikings, The Diamonds, The Moonglow´s, 5 Satins, 5 Keys, The Tune Weavers, Larry Williams, Jo Ann Campbell, Ocie Smith, The Cleftones, Shaye Cogan and Jimmie Rodgers. Buddy Holly left a pair of shoes in Jimmie’s dressing room but he never returned to get them back.
September 9 1957. Ed Sullivan Show, singing “Honeycomb”.
Madison Square Garden. Worked too far from the orchestra and everything screwed up. National
September 10th. Dick Clark´s American Bandstand. National.
October 3. Released the song “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”.
October 31. Shower Of Stars CBS TV. Jack Benny, Fred MacMurray, Carol Channing and The Lennon Sisters. National.
November 3. Ed Sullivan, CBS: Paul Anka. National.
December 30. Frontier Room in Vancouver.
Washington for 6 days.
1958: Moved to California. Worked with Buddy Holly up and down the East Coast for several weeks before Buddy was killed. Had to return to Los Angles because of pneumonia. Shows from Jan. 8 until Feb. 1958 with
Buddy Holly and the Crickets, The Everly Brothers, Jimmie Rodgers, Rays, Shepard Sisters, Paul Anka, Danny and the Juniors, The Tune Weavers, The Hollywood Flames, Jimmie Edwards, Billy Brown, Mello-Kings and Eddie Cochran. 17 cities in 25 days…
Jimmie was ill in California when Buddy Holly was killed. Jimmie was scheduled to be on the winter tour with Buddy.
Last show with Buddy on Febr. 25 th 1958. War Memorial Auditorium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Royal Teens replaced Jimmie because of illness.
Feb 15. “Long Hot Summer//Oh Oh I’m Falling In Love Again” released.
“Long Hot Summer” was performed by Jimmie at the Academy Awards (Oscars). National
April 3. The song “Secretly” was released.
April. CBS TV. Big Record Show. National.
April 16. Show of Stars in Quebec Canada: Jimmie Rodgers. Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers, The Royal Teens, The Silhouettes, Paul Anka, Jimmy Reed, Roy Hamilton, Lavern Baker, The Cresendos, The Monotones, The Playmates, Storey Sisters, Huey Smith and the Clowns and Clyde McPhatter.
April. Honolulu for 2 days of concerts.
April signed to MGM movie contract. Movie “Snob Hill”, never filmed.
Canada shows for 5 days.
May 4. Dick Clark Show, singing “Honeycomb”.
May 8. Music operators of America. Chicago. Mickey and Sylvia, Roy Hamilton and The Champs.
1958 Cont’d
June 1. Ed Sullivan CBS TV. Jimmies 4th Appearance. National.
June 10. Moulin Rouge Hollywood, night club. Sold out one week.
June 19. Casino Royal in Washington DC.
June 2. Fairmount Hotel in San Francisco, Venetian Room 2 weeks.
July 3. The song “Are You Really Mine” released.
July 19. Perry Como Show, NBC TV. National.
Aug 7. Shows at Steel Pier, Atlantic City.
News: Jimmie’s father drowned in a fishing accident in Camas Washington, Jimmies hometown.
Aug. 28. Soldiers Field. Bob Hope and Jimmie Rodgers, 84.000 people! Paul Whitman, Herb Shriner and actress singer Miyoshi Umeki
Sept. 28. Steve Allen Show. NBC TV. National.
Oct. 4. The song “Bimbombey” released
Nov. 10. Latin Casino, Philadelphia.
Nov. 17. Copa Club, Pittsburg.
Nov. 22. Perry Como Show. NBC. National.
Dec. 22. Patti Page Show. National.
1959
Jan 22. “This Is Your Life”. Ralph Edwards. CBS TV. National (Article)
Feb. 1. The song “Because Your Young” released.
Feb. 3. Buddy Holly, J.D. Richardson (The Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens was killed in a airplane crash.
March 3. Jimmie Rodgers Show. NBC TV. Connie Francis guest host for three months. Kirby Stone Four, The Clay Warnick Singers, Buddy Marrow Orch. Tuesdays 8:30 prime time. National. Guest during run: Jill Cory, Les Paul & Mary Ford, The Mills Brothers, Dukes of Dixieland, guitarist Charlie Bird, Robert Maxwell, The Lennon Sisters, The Kingston Trio, Johnny Cash, Anita Bryant and Tony Bennett.
May 2. The song “Ring A Ling A Lario” released.
May 16. Dick Clark´s Show with Chico Holliday and LaVern Baker.
May 22. Cleveland Ohio, benefit.
June 3. Chaudiere Night Club in Ottawa, Canada.
Aug. 4. The song “Tucumcari” released.
Sept. 4. Steel Pier, Atlantic City, NJ.
Sept. 8. Jimmie Rodgers Show (last show of the season) NBC TV. Johnny Cash, Cathy Carr and The Playmates.
Oct. 1. Australian Tour. Conductor Al Lerner. Dodie Stevens, The Champs. and author Duncan.
Nov. 13. Chicago Music Fair. Various shows for ten days with Fabian, Lloyd Price and The Platters.
Dec. 2. The song “Waltzing Matilda” released.
Motion Picture “On the Beach”.
1960 to 1963
1960 Motion Picture: “The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come”,
20th Century Fox with Jimmie released.
Met Elvis Presley for another film…
Moulin Rouge Hollywood, Elvis Presley.
Signed deal with DOT Records, Head of A&R.
Worked as director of Folk Music Dept. at DOT Records.
And as a producer for DOT Records with artist Pat Boone, Debbie Reynolds, The Fairmount Singers.
TV Show “The Folk World Of Jimmie Rodgers” for 2 years.
The song “English Country Garden” was a big hit for Jimmie in Australia and England.
The song “Its Over” was a national hit in U.S.A. Words and music by Jimmie Rodgers. Worldwide copyright for Jimmie.
1964. Motion picture “Back Door To Hell” with Jimmie Rodgers and Jack Nicholson.
1964-1967: Touring and recording new singles and albums for DOT Records
1967: Signing for A&M. Releasing the album “Child Of Clay”. National hit with the single “Child Of Clay”.
1967: Jimmie Rodgers was found brutally beaten and left to die in his car in the San Fernando Valley. The LA police and sheriffs dept. were involved. He suffered through three brain surgeries. His brilliant career was stopped for several years ahead. Jimmie is now writing music and has finished his story for a film that depicts the life of a man who’s faith in God and Love for his Family has lifted him up.
His life storybook “Dancing On The Moon” is written by Jimmie Rodgers. A true story that is up lifting and yet tragic as it describes his journey through the Mafia power of some of the music business to the high road of success that can changes lives.
August 2008
Article in “The Desert Sun”
Click on the article to the left for enlarging.
A high school work by Katrine Rodgers, Jimmie’s youngest daughter.
Click on the letter to the left for enlarging.
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