ROOTS of Country Music

Jimmie Rodgers

Father of Country Music

(Sep. 8, 1897 ~ May 26, 1933)

Rodgers, known as The Singing Brakeman and The Blue Yodeler, was born in Pine Springs, Mississippi, USA but considered his hometown to be Meridian, Mississippi and spent most of his early life from boyhood accompanying his father on railroad jobs.

On August 4, 1927, at a makeshift studio in a former furniture store in Bristol, Tennessee, an unknown singer from Mississippi made his first recordings for Victor Records. Accompanying himself on this plain-looking, but elegantly designed, mahogany and spruce Martin 00-18 guitar, Jimmie Rodgers recorded The Soldiers Sweetheart and Sleep Baby Sleep.

Released two months later, they launched a recording career that would turn him into country musics first superstar. The inscription 8-4-27 B. VA-TENN, written in India ink inside the guitars sound hole, documents Rodgers recording debut at the Bristol Sessions, which marked a turning point in the history of country music. He recorded for Victor Talking machine (1927-1933).

For recording information and discography on Jimmie Rodgers, Go Here.