Jim Reeves

American country western singer, known for his velvety smooth baritone. Commonly referred to as Gentleman Jim Reeves, he traded in the expected cowboy outfit in favor of an upscale suit, helping take country music with his "uptown sound" to a new, urban audience" sound.

Reeves was one of nine children. When he was only ten months old, his father died, leaving his mother to run the farm and provide for the children. With the family barely scraping by, there was no money for the guitar he wanted. He initially tried to make one, using rubber bands and cigar boxes, but eventually found a broken guitar that he got by trading a bushel of pears. After fixing it, he began playing at community dances, and by the time he was 12, he had appeared on a radio broadcast out of Shreveport, Louisiana.

As a teenager, he decided to use his natural athletic abilities to pursue a career in baseball, and he became one of the top athletes at his high school in Carthage, Texas. He won an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas where he took classes in speech and drama. The U.S. was just getting involved in World War II, so after only six weeks, Reeves dropped out and signed up for military service. He failed the physical when it revealed enlarged muscles around his heart. After several dead-end jobs, he returned to baseball, playing in the semi-professional leagues before signing a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944. He played with the Cardinals for the next three years, but a serious ankle injury destroyed his chance for a long-term athletic career.

Having used his guitar to earn extra money for much of his life, Reeves again turned to music for his livelihood. He took a job as a disc jockey and newscaster at a Shreveport radio station, and in late 1952, he filled in on the popular "Louisiana Hayride" show when Hank Williams failed to show up. His performance was enthusiastically received, and he soon had a record contract.