On this day (September 23) in 1982, Jimmy Wakely died in Mission Hills, California, after a battle with emphysema. He was 68 years old. Before his passing, Wakely rose to fame as a singer, songwriter, and actor. He was also the star of a series of comic books published by DC Comics in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He is widely remembered as one of the last singing cowboys.
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Wakely was born in Minneola, Arkansas, on February 16, 1914. While he was still young, his family relocated to Batieste, Oklahoma. In his early 20s, he formed The Singing Cowboy Trio with Johnny Bond, Rick Reinhart, and Jack Cheney. They later changed their name to The Bell Boys after getting sponsored by the Bell clothing company. The group recorded and performed in the Oklahoma City area. More importantly, however, they made regular appearances on the Oklahoma City-based radio stations WKY and KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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According to Oklahoma History, Gene Autry, the world’s most famous singing cowboy, invited them to join his Melody Ranch radio show. Two years later, Wakely began his solo career.
Jimmy Wakely Goes to the Movies
Jimmy Wakely and his group started their acting career playing supporting roles in Westerns alongside Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. By the mid-1940s, Wakely inked a deal with Monogram Pictures and began taking leading roles in Western B-movies. Taking a page from Autry’s playbook, he played a singing cowboy in 28 films between 1944 and 1949. His filmography includes Song of the Range (1944), Six Gun Serenade (1947), Oklahoma Blues (1948), and Gunrunner (1949).
Some critics referred to Wakely as the “Low-budget Gene Autry.” This didn’t bother him. “Everybody reminds somebody of someone else until they are somebody. And I’d rather be compared to Gene Autry than anyone else. Through the grace of God and Gene Autry, I got a career,” he said in response.
His film career ended in 1949. However, his singing cowboy persona lived on in a series of comic books published by DC Comics. The series ran from the fall of 1949 to the summer of 1952. He was dubbed “Hollywood’s Sensational Cowboy Star!” on the covers.
These films would be far from his final appearances on the screen. In the 1960s, he joined Tex Ridder on the short-lived Five Star Jubilee.
A Successful Recording Career
Aside from starring or appearing in a long line of movies, TV shows, and radio programs, Jimmy Wakely had a successful recording career. He had a long line of solo hits in the late 1940s and early ’50s. He topped the country charts with “One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)” and “I Love You So Much It Hurts.” Wakely also landed in the top 10 with “Signed Sealed and Delivered,” “Mine All Mine,” “I Wish I Had a Nickel,” “Peter Cottontail,” and many more.
He was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on September 29, 1945, and continued to perform on the show until shortly before he died.
Wakely also had a string of hit duets with Margaret Whiting between 1949 and 1950. Their biggest hit was the 1949 single “Slippin’ Around.” It topped the country and pop charts. They also had top 10 hits with “The Gods Were Angry with Me,” “Let’s Go to Church (Next Sunday Morning),” “I’ll Never Slip Around Again,” and more.
In the 1960s, Wakely founded Shasta Records, converting part of his ranch into a recording studio. The label released recordings from Tex Williams, Tex Ritter, Rex Allen, and Merle Travis, among others. He developed a mail-order system for Shasta Records that allowed the label and its artists to find commercial success despite limited radio play.
Featured Image by CBS via Getty Images
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