Jesse Rogers

Jesse Rogers (born March 5, 1911 in Waynesboro , Mississippi , as Jesse Otto Rodgers , † December 4, 1973 in Crosby , Texas ) was an American old-time and country musician . Rogers was the cousin of "Blue Yodelers" Jimmie Rodgers .

Life

Childhood and youth

Jesse Rodgers was born in 1911 (according to other information as early as 1910 or not until 1913) as the son of Eff Rogers. Shortly after Roger's birth, the family moved to southern Mississippi to live with Roger's uncle Arron, father of the later famous Jimmie Rodgers. Jesse's father went on to work for the same railroad company as Jimmie's father, and Jesse grew up with the older Jimmie. His father later bought a lot of land along the Mississippi River for African American workers to cultivate. Jimmie and the young Jesse spent a lot of time with the field workers and listened to the gospel and blues chants, which had a lasting impact on both.

Career

Jimmie became famous almost overnight in 1928 with hits like T For Texas or In the Jailhouse Now and secured his cousin a record deal with Victor Records . Jesse's first records were released on Victor's sub-label Bluebird Records in 1933, a year after Jimmie Rodgers' early death . These recordings were in the style of Jesse's cousin, who was characterized by yodelling and guitar accompaniment. However, Jesse Rogers did not imitate the voice of his cousin and tried again and again to find his own style during these years, for which he also used his own song material. With his own titles like Auto Love Song , the sales figures declined - only the Jimmie Rodgers interpretations were granted moderate success. In addition, Rogers' skills on the guitar - in contrast to those of his cousin - were only rudimentary and the yodelling was also lacking in precision. By 1937, 72 tracks had been recorded for Bluebird. After the contract ended, Jesse changed his name to Jesse Rogers as he was too often compared to his famous cousin.

Plain old lovin '

In the 1940s and 1950s, he had his own radio show with Phil Shirdian on WFIL in Philadelphia . Rogers remained loyal to the Philadelphian music scene through the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, with artists such as Bill Haley , Rusty Wellington and Al Rex . His wife Sally Starr was also a radio presenter and singer. He also appeared as "Ranger Joe" and on various TV and radio shows, some of which were broadcast nationally via the Columbia Broadcasting System . Rogers also had shows in Kansas City , Dallas , St. Louis, and other major cities. From 1949 Rogers was under contract for the Apollo Records label from New York City ; before that he had recorded for RCA Victor , Sonora Records and MGM Records . In 1950 he hosted the Covered Wagon Caravan Show on WOAM in Camden , New Jersey . Rogers had his only chart hit in the Top 40 in 1949.

In the 1950s, Rogers recorded for the regional label Arcade Records . Roger's first single for Arcade was released in 1957 with Jukebox Cannonball , a song written and later recorded by Bill Haley. In 1961, Rogers tried Jump Cats Jump at Arcade - to no avail.

Overall, Rogers never matched the success of his cousin Jimmie Rodgers, but could reach a considerable level within Philadelphia . The information about the date of his death are contradictory; while most sources indicate 1973, his granddaughter named May 15, 1970 as the date of death.

Discography

Discography is not exhaustive.

year	title	#	Remarks
Bluebird Records
1935	I Wish You Were Here Dear / The Rambler's Yodel	BB-5443
	My Brown Eyed Texas Rose / Way Down in Mississippi	BB-5499
	My Mary / My Winding River Home	BB-5632
	Roghneck Blues / Yodeling Railroad Blues	BB-5689
	Rattlesnake Daddy / The Auto Love Song	BB-5839
	Let Me Call You Mine / Headin 'Home	BB-5853
	The Empty Cot in the Old Bunkhouse / An Old Rugged Road	BB-5910
	? / Leave Me Alone Sweet Mama	BB-5942
	Down in the Hills / Lonely Days in Texas	BB-5958
	Back in Troubled in Mind and Blue / Telling on Me	BB-6942
1937	Back in Jail Again / Second Class Hotel	BB-7042
RCA Victor
	Plain Old Lovin '/ I Can Fool the World	20-0389	with the 49ers
	Blue Christmas / Here Comes Santa Claus	20-3243
	Hadacol Boogie / Country Boy	32-0001
	Mind Your Own Business / Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me	33-0001	with the 49ers
Sonora Records
	Ridin 'Down the Canyon / Old Conestoga Wagon	1129
	The Yellow Rose of Texas / Patent Leather Boots	1130
	The Cattle Call / Back in the Saddle Again	1131
	When the Bloom Is on the Sage / Roll Along Prairie Moon	1132
1947	Go West, Young Man, Go West / Days are Long, Nights are Lonely	H-7032
	Tomorrow You'll Be Sorry That You Broke My Heart Today / Mary from Maryland	H-7036	with the Pecos Pioneers
Apollo Records
1949	The Drunkard's Child / It's Nobody's Fault But Your Own	209
MGM Records
1954	I Never Knew I Needed You / I Gotta Love Just Like I Live	11884
	Impatient Heart / The Waltz You Saved for Me	11983	with the Rio Grande Playboys
Arcade Records
1957	Jukebox Cannonball / You Can't Hang That Monkey on My Back	143
1960	Nightwind / Say It Again	162
1961	Jump Cats Jump / You've Changed My Whole Life Into a Song	169

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Bart Plantenga: Yodel-ay-ee-oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World (2004), p. 207; Routledge Group, ISBN 0415939909
2. ^ Rob Finnis: "The Return of Rockaphilly!", 1980 - Rollercoaster Records
3. ↑ ^{a b} Barry Mazor: Meeting Jimmie Rodgers (2009), p. 128; Oxford University Press, ISBN 0195327624

Web links

• Short biography
• Jesse Rogers on Hillbilly-Music.com (English)