Born Sept. 8, 1897, in Meridian, Miss. the “Singing Brakeman’s” recordings of Southern blues and ballads greatly contributed to the world-wide popularity of these distinctly American musical forms. Jimmie Rodgers, was known as the “Singing Brakeman” and also as America’s “Blue Yodeler”, was the first performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
His brass plaque in the Country Music Hall of Fame reads, “Jimmie Rodgers name stands foremost in the country music field as the man who started it all.” Jimmie was someone that the average Country fan could understand, but more than that he was Country Music’s first real star.” These are the words inscribed on his statue in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi…
Rodgers music embraced many different styles: traditional melodies and folk music of his southern upbringing, early jazz, stage show yodeling, Hawaiian music, the work chants of railroad section crews and, most importantly, African-American blues. It is thought he probably sold more records for Victor than any artist before Elvis Presley. As the first Country Music star Rodgers was immensely popular in his own time, and a major influence on generations of country artists.