One of the first country singers to blend country and black blues died 77 years ago on May 26th, 1933

Fans of country music and the blues remember the early death of Jimmy Rodgers, The Singing Brakeman, on May 26, 1933. He was one of the early white performers to mingle the blues and country music, although not the first.

Bob Dylan is quoted as saying “Jimmie Rodgers combined the elements of blues and hillbilly sounds before anyone else had thought of it. His plaintive voice and style would outlast them all.”

Rodgers was born in 1897 and started performing at age 13. When he was 27 he contracted tuberculosis. Three years later in 1927 he recorded for the first time on RCA Victor. He unique style of country blues with a yodel was a big hit. T for Texas or Blue Yodel was a million seller hit.

Tuberculosis ended his career as a railroad man. It also allowed him the time to focus on music. In the next few short years he turned out hit after hit like Waiting for a Train, In the Jailhouse Now, Never No More Blues, and Standing on the Corner.

In 6 years, he changed country music to include the blues that surrounded white southern music. Despite segregation, Rodgers was one of many artists who absorbed black blues into their style, like AP Carter and Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass music.

Jimmy Rodgers died while recording his last album in May of 1933. He’s been dead for 77 years but we’re still singing his songs, often without realizing where they come from.

Despite hearing his music as far back as I can remember, the first time I heard him was on the RCA Vintage release.

That’s out of print but The Essential Jimmie Rodgers is a good place to start with 20 of his favourite songs.

If you are a completest you might try Recordings 1927-1933.

For more information see Wikipedia and Jimmie Rodgers.com