Jimmy Work
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Work was an American country music
ian best known for the country standard "Making Believe
".
Work was born in Ohio but moved to Dukedom, Tennessee with his family at age two. He picked up guitar at age seven, and learned fiddle and songwriting by his early teens.
By 1945, he had begun playing professionally in Pontiac, Michigan
, where many Southerners had moved to take jobs in the automotive industry
. He appeared on local radio and published a songbook late in the decade, in addition to recording two singles for the Trophy Records label. His third single was "Tennessee Border", for Alben Records; his version was not a hit, but the following year, the song became a hit for Red Foley
, Bob Atcher
, Jimmie Skinner
, and Tennessee Ernie Ford
. Hank Williams also recorded the tune, but didn't chart with it.
Work then signed with Decca Records
in 1949 and that same year appeared for the first time on the Grand Ole Opry
and on Ernest Tubb
's Midnight Jamboree
. He recorded for Decca with members of Red Foley
's band, but none of his Decca recordings were hits, and the label dropped him in 1950. Subsequently he recorded for Bullet
, London
, and Capitol
, the last of which released him in 1953. Signing soon after with Dot Records
, he finally found chart success in 1955 with the songs "Making Believe" (somewhat overshadowed by Kitty Wells
phenomenally popular cover) and "That's What Makes the Jukebox Play". He played a few concerts with Elvis Presley
that year.
Later in the 1950s his fortunes in music declined, and he began working in real estate
. He cut a few singles in 1959 for All Records, then left performance entirely to become a millwright
back in Dukedom. He continued to write songs, however, working for Acuff-Rose.
Bear Family Records
began reissuing Work's recordings in 1986.
He returned to Dukedom in the 80's to retire. However went back to work at the Goodyear Tire plant in Union City, TN. He worked there for several years before retiring again. He currently lives in Dukedom with his wife.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
ian best known for the country standard "Making Believe
Making Believe
Making Believe is a country music song written by Jimmy Work and best known for its chart-topping version in 1955 by Kitty Wells. The song is consistently on lists of all-time greatest country music songs and has been covered by scores of artists over the past fifty years, including Bob Dylan,...
".
Work was born in Ohio but moved to Dukedom, Tennessee with his family at age two. He picked up guitar at age seven, and learned fiddle and songwriting by his early teens.
By 1945, he had begun playing professionally in Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, where many Southerners had moved to take jobs in the automotive industry
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
. He appeared on local radio and published a songbook late in the decade, in addition to recording two singles for the Trophy Records label. His third single was "Tennessee Border", for Alben Records; his version was not a hit, but the following year, the song became a hit for Red Foley
Red Foley
Clyde Julian Foley , better known as Red Foley, was an American singer, musician, and radio and TV personality who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II....
, Bob Atcher
Bob Atcher
James Robert Owen "Bob" Atcher was an American country musician.-Biography:Atcher was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, and learned violin and guitar from his father, who was adept at fiddle. He started out on radio in Louisville on WHAS, and was offered spots on a number of other stations in the...
, Jimmie Skinner
Jimmie Skinner
Jimmie Skinner was an American country and bluegrass music singer and guitarist. He also was known for a mail-order record business and retail store in Cincinnati, Ohio.-Biography:...
, and Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
. Hank Williams also recorded the tune, but didn't chart with it.
Work then signed with Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in 1949 and that same year appeared for the first time on the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
and on Ernest Tubb
Ernest Tubb
Ernest Dale Tubb , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music...
's Midnight Jamboree
Midnight Jamboree
Midnight Jamboree is an album by American country singer Ernest Tubb, released in 1960 . It also includes performances by Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Patsy Cline, and The Wilburn Brothers...
. He recorded for Decca with members of Red Foley
Red Foley
Clyde Julian Foley , better known as Red Foley, was an American singer, musician, and radio and TV personality who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II....
's band, but none of his Decca recordings were hits, and the label dropped him in 1950. Subsequently he recorded for Bullet
Bullet Records
At least three record labels with the name Bullet Records have existed.The earliest one was a record label based in Nashville, USA, which was started in 1945 by Jim Bulliet and C.V. Hitchcock. Bulleit was an early partner in Sun Records...
, London
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
, and Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, the last of which released him in 1953. Signing soon after with Dot Records
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
, he finally found chart success in 1955 with the songs "Making Believe" (somewhat overshadowed by Kitty Wells
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason , known professionally as Kitty Wells, is an American country music singer. Her 1952 hit recording, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, and turned her into the first female country star...
phenomenally popular cover) and "That's What Makes the Jukebox Play". He played a few concerts with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
that year.
Later in the 1950s his fortunes in music declined, and he began working in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
. He cut a few singles in 1959 for All Records, then left performance entirely to become a millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
back in Dukedom. He continued to write songs, however, working for Acuff-Rose.
Bear Family Records
Bear Family Records
Bear Family Records is a Germany-based independent record label that specializes in reissues of archival material ranging from country music to 1950s rock and roll to old German movie soundtracks.-History:...
began reissuing Work's recordings in 1986.
He returned to Dukedom in the 80's to retire. However went back to work at the Goodyear Tire plant in Union City, TN. He worked there for several years before retiring again. He currently lives in Dukedom with his wife.