James Houston “Jimmie” Davis wore many hats throughout his 101 years of life—country singer, songwriter, educator, and two-time governor of Louisiana. On this day in 1899, the man who first published the brightly inspirational folk tune “You Are My Sunshine” was born in Quitman, Louisiana.
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Well, that’s not entirely true. Davis’ exact date of birth is unknown, even to him. As one of 11 children, record-keeping wasn’t exactly a top priority for his sharecropper parents. What we do know, however, is that he began his singing career in the Glee Club during his undergraduate days at Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University). In his spare time, Davis busked on street corners to raise enough money to attend graduate school at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
After obtaining his master’s degree in psychology, Davis took a teaching job at a Baptist junior college for women in Shreveport. Not ready to give up on music, however, he also performed weekly at a local radio station.
Signing his first record deal with Victor Talking Machine Company in 1929, Davis became known for recording bawdy blues tunes like “Organ Grinder’s Blues” and “Tom Cat and Pussy Blues.” (This would later become fodder for political opponents during his pursuit of the governorship.)
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Signing with Decca Records in 1934, Jimmie Davis earned his first major hit with “Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine.” Six years later, he recorded his most famous song yet—”You Are My Sunshine.”
Although the song’s original authorship remains in dispute nearly a century later, it was Davis who brought “You Are My Sunshine” into the public consciousness. And he would make it his official campaign song when he ran for governor in 1944. Davis won that race, setting a record for absenteeism in his first term, as he would frequently travel to Hollywood to film Western “horse operas.”
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Davis ran and won again in 1959, serving as governor of Louisiana until 1964. If that wasn’t enough accolades for one man, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1972. The multi-talented Davis sadly died in his sleep on Nov. 5, 2000, after suffering a fall at home. He was 101 years old.
“You Are My Sunshine” would join “Give Me Louisiana” as the second official state song of Louisiana in 1977. By 2021, “Give Me Louisiana” was removed as a state song to make way for Davis’ classic tune to serve as the lone state song in Louisiana.
Featured image by LMPC via Getty Images
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