Biography of Jim Reeves

Gentleman Jim Reeves was perhaps the biggest male star to emerge from the Nashville Sound. His mellow baritone voice and muted velvet orchestration combined to create a sound that echoed around his world and has lasted to this day. Detractors will call the sound country-pop (or plain pop), but none can argue against the large audience that loves this music. Reeves was capable of singing hard country ("Mexican Joe" went to #1 in 1953). From 1955 ("Bimbo") through 1969, Reeves was without exception in the charts, country and/or pop -- an amazing fact in light of his untimely death in an airplane accident in 1964. "Four Walls" (1957) and especially "He'll Have to Go" in 1957 solidified the reputation of Reeves as the Crooner of Country. After his death a near-cult developed, and songs of his released after his death actually outsold his previous hits, with six #1s coming in a three-year period following his burial. (These include "I Guess I'm Crazy," "Is It Really Over?," and "Blue Side of Lonesome.") Hits in the 70s continued, with "Angels Don't Lie" and "Don't Let Me Cross Over." Through technical wizardry he had duet hits in the early 80s: "Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me" (with Deborah Allen) and "Have You Ever Been Lonely?" with his smooth-singing female counterpart of the plush Nashville Sound, Patsy Cline, who also perished in an airplane crash, in 1963. ~ David Vinopal