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Artist
Jimmy Heap
12+ albums
rockabillyAllspotify
about
Western swing bandleader Jimmy Heap led the Melody Masters for over three decades and contributed one country classic to the genre, "The Wild Side of Life," covered by Hank Thompson, Burl Ives and Grady Martin, Freddy Fender, and more recently, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. Heap's "Release Me" also provided Esther Phillips and Engelbert Humperdinck with their first Top Ten popular hits, in 1962 and 1967 respectively. James Arthur Heap was born on March 3, 1922, in Taylor, TX. He formed the Melody Masters just after his service in World War II, with sidemen Arlie Carter, Louie Rincon, Bill Glendining, and Horace Barnett. A continuing spot on local radio gave the Melody Masters a bit of renown around central Texas, and Imperial Records signed the band in 1949. Some time before the initial recordings, Heap -- who played only lead guitar -- hired Houston "Perk" Williams (born 1926) to provide vocals along with his fiddling duties. Though Williams had never sung before, his good performance on their debut release, "Today, Tonight, and Tomorrow," guaranteed him the spot ever after. Another song, "Haunted Hungry Heart," was covered by Slim Whitman, but it was "The Wild Side of Life" that provided Jimmy Heap & the Melody Masters with their big break. Hank Thompson & the Brazos Valley Boys took it to number one in March 1952, and the single spent 15 weeks there. But even before Thompson had borrowed the biggest hit of his career, the country star had advised Capitol Records to s
top songs
albums
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The Champs - Tequila & Other Rockin' Bands
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Rockabilly Gold
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A Capitol Rockabilly Party, Part 2
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Rock 'n' Roll Drive In - The Ultimate Collection - 125 Original Recordings
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The History Of Country & Western Music - Vol. 15
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Mad Mike Monsters Vol. 1
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A Capitol Rockabilly, Pt. 1
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A Capitol Rockabilly Party Part 1
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LAS VEGAS GRIND Part 1
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That'll Flat Git It, Vol.3 (Capitol Records)
A Capitol Rockabilly Party, Part 1
Wild Side of Life