Jimmy Wakely

Singer. Born James Clarence Wakely in Mineola, Arkansas, he was a country music entertainer and one of the last vocalists to make it in movies as a singing cowboy. In 1937, he formed The Bell Boys, a country Western singing group which toured and evolved into the Jimmy Wakely Trio and was featured on CBS Radio. Signed to Decca Records, he released hits to include “There’s a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere”, “I’m Sending You Red Roses”, “One Little Teardrop Too Late”, “Mine All Mine” and “Peter Cottontail”. He made his feature film debut in “Saga of Death Valley” (1941) and became a regular in many B-western movies through out the 1940s. After leaving films, he continued to record and had the number one hits ” One Has My Heart, The Other Has My Name”, “Slippin’ Around” and “I Love You So Much It Hurts”. In his later years, he performed at the Grand Ole Opry, on National Barn Dance and on the USO Tour with Bob Hope. In 1971, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and into the Western Music Association Hall of Fame in 1991. He died of heart failure at age 68 in Mission Hills, California.