Biography
After World War II, Jimmy Wakely was among the last of filmdom's crooning cowboys. A multi-talented performer—excelling in singing, songwriting, and guitar playing—he showcased his skills across radio, film, television, rodeos, and clubs throughout his career. Born in Mineola, Arkansas, in 1914 and raised during the Depression in Oklahoma, Wakely initially worked as a farmer before his musical gifts propelled him forward. He formed the vocal trio "The Bell Boys" with Johnny Bond, performing in local venues while recording in studios. According to country western lore, a chance encounter with Gene Autry during the star's Oklahoma tour led the group to California, where they appeared on Autry's Melody Ranch radio show on CBS. Eventually settling in California, the trio made their musical film debut in the Roy Rogers western Saga of Death Valley (1939). They became regulars on Autry's radio program, but Wakely left within a few years to concentrate on films and a recording contract with Decca Records. In 1941, he and his group appeared in two Hopalong Cassidy films, Twilight on the Trail and Stick to Your Guns, performing memorable songs like "Lonesome Guitar," "Blue Moon on the Silver Sage," "Lady O Lay," and "My Kind of Country." Wakely became renowned for perfecting the hillbilly style with classics such as "Cimarron (Roll On)"—his first major hit—alongside "I'm Sending You Red Roses," "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)," "Beautiful Brown Eyes," "Too Late," and "I'll Never Let You Go."
Over time, Wakely's country trio performed for numerous top western stars in their films. Known by various names during their film career—such as "Jimmy Wakely and his Rough Riders," "The Jimmy Wakely Trio," "Jimmy Wakely and his Saddle Pals," and "Jimmy Wakely and His Oklahoma Boys"—the group often included Dick Reinhart and Scotty Harrel alongside Wakely and Bond. They traveled between studios, refining a steady stream of westerns for established stars including Don 'Red' Barry, Johnny Mack Brown, Tex Ritter, and Charles Starrett.
With the soaring popularity of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, studios competed to develop leading country singers as film icons. Scott R. Dunlap of Monogram Pictures, a "Poverty Row" studio, secured the slim, easygoing, and attractive Wakely as their representative. Over the next five years, the dark-haired singer starred in more than two dozen westerns, typically playing characters named Jimmy Wakely. Often called the Bing Crosby of country and western music, his stint at Monogram was successful, though it did not reach the heights of his more famous contemporaries.
Wakely's first Monogram film was Song of the Range (1944), and he rode off into the sunset with Lawless Code (1949). In between, he delivered smooth vocals and appeared with various sidekicks, notably Lee "Lasses" White and Dub Taylor. Although he ranked below some of his peers, Wakely proved valuable to the developing studio. However, his career was eventually limited by the decline of the singing cowboy genre and the waning popularity of "B" westerns in general.
After his peak years and into the 1950s, Wakely continued writing songs and performing live. He remained a prominent figure on the rodeo circuit and in country western clubs. As a recording artist, he charted several country hits and was among the few country singers to cross into the mainstream. In 1952, he starred in The Jimmy Wakely Show on CBS radio and briefly shared hosting duties on ABC-TV's Five Star Jubilee (1961) alongside Snooky Lanson, Carl Smith, Rex Allen, and his old film friend Tex Ritter. In the 1960s and 1970s, he founded Shasta Records and owned two music publishing companies. He converted part of his California home into a recording studio, producing commercial records for other country western artists. Two of his children, Linda Lee and Johnny, showed musical talent and occasionally performed with him. Married since 1936 to his wife Inez—who also served as his business manager—they had two other daughters, Carol and Deanna. Wakely developed emphysema later in life and passed away from heart failure in California in 1982.
