Jack Guthrie
Encyclopedia
Jack Guthrie was a songwriter and performer whose rewritten version of the Woody Guthrie song "Oklahoma Hills
" was a hit in 1945. The two musicians were cousins.
, he was the son of the younger brother of Woody Guthrie
's father. He grew up around horses and musical instruments before the family moved to California
in the mid-1930s, where he took on the nicknames "Jack", "Oklahoma", and "Oke". He competed in rodeo as a bucking-horse rider and in 1937 traveled with Woody Guthrie
to Los Angeles where they landed on the Oke & Woody Show on KFVD radio in Hollywood.
" (Capitol 201) reached No. 1 in 1945, staying on the charts for 19 weeks. The b side, "I'm A Brandin' My Darlin' With My Heart", reached No. 5 later that year. At the time the record became a hit Jack Guthrie was in the U.S. Army and stationed in the Pacific Theater
. As soon as he got out of the service he wrote and recorded more songs, played live gig
s up and down the West Coast
. His version of "Oakie Boogie
" (Capitol 341), a hit at #3 in 1947, is considered a candidate for the first rock and roll record. In July 1947 he was admitted to a hospital with tuberculosis
. He died in 1948 in Livermore
, California
.
Guthrie's style was influenced by Jimmie Rodgers and adapted to fit his cowboy image. Although the labels listed Jack Guthrie and His Oklahomans as the artist, in reality Guthrie had no band. The studio brought in some of its better musicians to back Guthrie. Many of them, Porky Freeman
, Red Murrell
, Cliffie Stone
, and Billy Hughes
among them, were stars in their own right.
Oklahoma Hills
"Oklahoma Hills" is a song written by Woody Guthrie.Jack Guthrie, Woody's cousin, later changed the lyrics and music and in 1945 recorded a Western swing version which he took to number one on the Juke Box Folk Records charts...
" was a hit in 1945. The two musicians were cousins.
Early life
Born Leon Jerry Guthrie in Olive, OklahomaOlive, Oklahoma
Olive is a small unincorporated community in Creek County, Oklahoma, United States. The post office was established November 20, 1896, and discontinued September 30, 1938. The town was named for the biblical Mount of Olives. In 1974 there was a tornado that wiped out the town. Today it is nothing...
, he was the son of the younger brother of Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
's father. He grew up around horses and musical instruments before the family moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the mid-1930s, where he took on the nicknames "Jack", "Oklahoma", and "Oke". He competed in rodeo as a bucking-horse rider and in 1937 traveled with Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
to Los Angeles where they landed on the Oke & Woody Show on KFVD radio in Hollywood.
Career in music
Guthrie's rewritten version of a Woody Guthrie song "Oklahoma HillsOklahoma Hills
"Oklahoma Hills" is a song written by Woody Guthrie.Jack Guthrie, Woody's cousin, later changed the lyrics and music and in 1945 recorded a Western swing version which he took to number one on the Juke Box Folk Records charts...
" (Capitol 201) reached No. 1 in 1945, staying on the charts for 19 weeks. The b side, "I'm A Brandin' My Darlin' With My Heart", reached No. 5 later that year. At the time the record became a hit Jack Guthrie was in the U.S. Army and stationed in the Pacific Theater
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
. As soon as he got out of the service he wrote and recorded more songs, played live gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
s up and down the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. His version of "Oakie Boogie
Oakie Boogie
"Oakie Boogie" is a Western swing dance song written by Johnny Tyler in 1947. It is recognizable by its refrain:Jack Guthrie's version reached #3 on the charts in 1947 and is often included in the list of the first rock and roll songs...
" (Capitol 341), a hit at #3 in 1947, is considered a candidate for the first rock and roll record. In July 1947 he was admitted to a hospital with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He died in 1948 in Livermore
Livermore, California
Livermore is a city in Alameda County. The population as of 2010 was 80,968. Livermore is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Guthrie's style was influenced by Jimmie Rodgers and adapted to fit his cowboy image. Although the labels listed Jack Guthrie and His Oklahomans as the artist, in reality Guthrie had no band. The studio brought in some of its better musicians to back Guthrie. Many of them, Porky Freeman
Porky Freeman
Quilla Hugh "Porky" Freeman is an American Western swing performer, bandleader, and songwriter. He is also an electric guitar pioneer and inventor....
, Red Murrell
Red Murrell
Joyce Wayne "Red" Murrell was a Western swing performer from Missouri. He led one of the more notable Western swing bands in California, Red Murrell and his Ozark Playboys. He was a popular session guitar player for many other artists as well. Early in his career, he played with Billy Hughes's...
, Cliffie Stone
Cliffie Stone
Cliffie Stone , born Clifford Gilpin Snyder, was an American country singer, musician, record producer, music publisher, and radio and TV personality who was pivotal in the development of California’s thriving country music scene after World War II during a career that lasted six decades...
, and Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes (musician)
Everette Ishmael "Billy" Hughes was a Western Swing musician and songwriter. Born in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, he left for California during the Okie exodus of the 1930s. Billy Hughes and His Buccaroos performed during the 1940s and early 50s. He also owned an independent recording company, Fargo Records...
among them, were stars in their own right.