Jimmy Heap
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Jimmy Heap (March 3, 1922 - 1977) was an American country musician who was popular in the 1950s. He was the original artist for Release Me and "The Wild Side of Life".
Biography
[edit]Jimmy Heap was born in Taylor, Texas on March 3, 1922.[1]
Heap became interested in music when musician "Slim" Gensler would stop at the gas station where Heap worked and play his guitar.[1]
He was enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, where he was stationed in Sedalia, Missouri.[1] It was here he met his future wife.[1] After his military service ended, he formed the Melody Masters, which included Horace Barnett, Arlie Carter, Bill Glendining, and Louis Renson.[2] Based on radio exposure and performances at dance halls, and particularly Dessau Dance Hall, he gained a regional following in Texas as was signed to Imperial Records in 1949.[1][2]
In some time before his first Imperial recordings he hired singer Perk Williams, with whom the band was associated during its period of greatest success.[1] In 1954 Jimmy Heap and the Melody Masters had a #5 hit with "Release Me". It was recorded at the Gold Star Studios in Houston.[3] Heap and the Melody Masters served as the house band at KTAE (AM) in 1955.[4] In 1956 he had a minor country hit ( chart position #96) with a song called "Butternut".[3]
Trying to adapt to changing musical tastes, Heap parted ways with Perk Williams because Perk would not change his style.[5]
Taylor signed to D Records in 1958.[5] He abandoned the honky-tonk style and attempted to become a rock band, using new vocalists and a saxophonist.[5]
Heap died on December 4, 1977.[2]
Style and influence
[edit]Jimmy Heap and the Melody Masters have been proffered as "one of the best exemplars of the post-World War II-era style of honky-tonk music."[1]
Although primarily associated with honky-tonk country, he also performed music considered pop and rock and roll.[5]
Heap and his band was an early influence on Sonny Rhodes.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Lannon, Deirdre (October 18, 2015). "Heap, James Arthur [Jimmy] (1922–1977)". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c Erlewine, Michael; Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas, eds. (1997). All Music Guide to Country Music. San Francisco, California: Miller Freeman. p. 207. ISBN 9780879304751.
- ^ a b Bradley, Andy; Wood, Roger (2010). House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios. University of Texas Press. pp. 259–260. ISBN 9780292783249.
- ^ "Folk Talent and Tunes". Billboard. October 15, 1955. p. 48.
- ^ a b c d "Who was/is Jimmy Heap & The Melody Masters?". Bear Family Records. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Govenar, Alan (2008). Texas Blues: The Rise of a Contemporary Sound. Texas A&M University Press. p. 451. ISBN 9781585446056.