They All Had Their Own Story

 The 50sThe  60s The  70sArticlesConcept Refinement    Home  

It should’ve happened… multiple hits, a massive career, world recognition and all the rest.

 

Jimmy Dee

It was in the late 70s when Carolyn Mas broke out

“He was just to much…to rock’n’roll.”

.

Its years after Jimmy Dee’s death in Marble Falls,

Texas. His life other than the volcanic song is largely

an unknown.

.

What life did he live? Aside for 2 minutes 13 seconds  of the ultimate rock’n’roll record, what does

one do when the omega point has been breached?

.

He was born into the name Jimmy Dee Fore, August 17, 1937, San Antonio, Texas. Some how he crossed

paths with magic and with his bandmates, the Off-Beats, “Henretta” [GIVE A LISTEN, now]was brought to

life in a studio shack in Austin Texas in the hot months of the Summer of 1957. The disk with a fine flip

—“Don’t Cry No More”—was initially issued by Bob Tanner on his TNT label, in the Fall. Breakout sales

nudged the independent major Dot label that something was brewing in the audio cauldron. With Dot’s

distribution links, “Henretta” found her way into the ear holes of scads of the frenzied teens.

.

It was the wildest thing this Rock historian ever heard. Elvis did not come close. At moments, Jerry Lee,

Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Gene Vincent ran a tight second in rock’n’roll excitement.

.

It was frightening to older folk. Should children be allowed to hear the ravings of this offkiltered humanoid?

.

Copies if found…sold. “Henretta” made number 47 on the Billboard national charts…and then slipped

away. “You’re Late Miss Kate” was reportedly issued but not heard by fans for 50+ years; likely never

heard. Dot Records got antsy and turned down the issuance of a third single: “I Feel Like Rockin’”/”Rock-

Tick-Tock.” Tanner did issue the disk locally on his TNT label. I’ve yet to see a copy of this nugget…and yet

to taste the sounds.

.

Legend now has it that a 17 year old Doug Sahm (late of the Sir Douglas Quintet) played guitar on Jimmy

Dee’s final divine creation.

.

Nothing is known for certain, there’s internet rumbles that he walked off and became a police officer.