Acrobat Music

Jimmie Davis, country music star of the '30s and '40s, died on 5th November 2000

Jimmie Davis, country music star of the '30s and '40s, died on 5th November 2000
Born the son of poor sharecroppers in Louisiana, James Houston Davis graduated with a master's degree from the State University in 1927, and became a teacher. However, he became a successful singer of rural hillbilly music in the '30s, much in the yodelling style of Jimmie Rodgers, with many of his hits having somewhat doubtful lyrical double entendres. He had a big hit with "You are my sunshine" which he claimed to have written but which he bought from the original composer - the song was later adopted as Louisiana's official song. He ran for Governor in the early '40s, often performing at his political rallies, and despite the nature of some of his material also became a noted performer of gospel music. He appeared in a number of films, mainly westerns. In his second term as Governor he stood on a racial integration ticket. Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he continued performing and survived to sing at his 100th birthday party, and died in Nov. 2000. Acrobat has on catalogue an album of his recordings from the '30s - for details click here.
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