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James David Gateley, known in the
country music world as Jimmy Gateley, was born in
Greene Country, Springfield, Missouri, May 1,
1931. He was a talented fiddle player and singer,
who could also do a great job in emceeing a live
show.
Jimmy started his career playing
fiddle with the Western Rhythm Kings on radio
station KGBX in Springfield in 1951. In 1953, he
played a year for Virgil Cobia’s Red River
Rustlers on KSJB in Jamestown, North Dakota. In
1954, I hired Jimmy, along with steel guitar
player Harold Morrison, also of Springfield, to
join my band, The Rodeo Boys, in Wheeling, West
Virginia, and to play the Wheeling Jamboree. A
year later, the boys returned to Springfield to be
part of Red Foley’s Ozark Jubilee, before pushing
on to Nashville in 1963.
Jimmy signed on board with Bill
Anderson’s Po’ Boys in 1963, where he remained for
several years as Bill’s front man, fiddler and
singer. He made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry
backing Anderson, and later, played the Opry with
Harold Morrison as a comedy act.
Jimmy Gateley was a great songwriter
as well as a wonderful person. He wrote and
recorded several originals for Decca from 1964 to
1967. His two greatest contributions were “The
Minute You’re Gone,” recorded by Sonny James,
reaching the Top Ten, and “Bright Lights And
Country Music,” recorded by Bill Anderson two
years later. Jimmy was the co-writer with Bill on
that one. Webb Pierce had a Top 5 hit with the
1962 recording of the Jimmy’s song, “All
Of My Love,” for which Jimmy received a BMI
award.
By 1970, Jimmy tired of the road
and invested in a Western Wear store in Madison,
Tennessee, which he operated up until his death.
During this stretch of time he leaned more toward
Gospel music, which didn’t surpirse me. Even when
Jimmy Gateley was with me in Wheeling, he was a
devout Christian, and remained so to the end. He
was a former Deacon.
On September 7, 1973, Jimmy was
honored with “Jimmy Gateley Day” by his hometown
of Pleasant Hope, Missouri. He passed away on
March 17, 1985.
Dusty Owens
TCM Radio News
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