Jimmie Rodgers(1897-1933)

Jimmie Rodgers considered by many to be the father of Country Music began his career with the railroad at the age of fourteen following in his father, Aaron's footsteps. In 1911, he went to work as a brakeman but had to cut his railroading career short because of contracting consumption in 1924. The following year he entered show business as a black face singer & banjo player. He began his recording career with Victor Talking Machine Company in Bristol, Tennessee in 1927. Earlier that year he had been appearing on radio station WWNG in Asheville, North Carolina. In five short years he rose from an unknown Tennessee hillbilly singer to one of the greatest entertainers & recording artists of the twentieth century. He made millions & he spent the millions as fast as he made them. In 1933, needing to replenish his funds, he travelled to New York city to make some recordings. He was so weak from the ravages of consumption that a cot had to be placed in the recording studio allowing him to rest in between takes. One week into his recording session Jimmie Rodgers finally lost the battle with his only enemy, consumption. He had recorded twelve songs during that session. In 1961 Jimmie Rodgers became the first member in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee.