Jim Reeves
 The
son of an impoverished Texas farming family, Jim Reeves was actually
a very successful country music recording artist before he came to
the attention of the world at large.
It wasn't until he signed a recording contract with RCA Victor in
1955 (at the age of 32) that the now familiar Reeves sound began to
emerge.
That sound virtually reshaped the course of modern country music
and contributed as much to the overall acceptance of country music
in the 60s as did Jimmie Rodgers some thirty years earlier.
In 1952, Reeves (at the time a radio DJ and station announcer)
began recording for the Texas-based record company, Macy's Queen of
Hits. The records were sold through the company's chain-stores and
were strictly regional successes, but they gave Reeves the
encouragement he needed to pursue a singing career.
His first RCA hit, Four Walls (1957), set the mould for
his debut British hit He'll Have To Go. Reeve's warm, soft
voice boosted the single to Number 36 in March 1960, and Number 12 a
month later upon re-entry.
During
1961, the velvet-voiced singer enjoyed two further British hits, Whispering
Hope in March, and You're The Only Good Thing during
November. With Adios Amigo and I'm Gonna Change
Everything notching up further hits during 1962.
 Welcome To My World, a beautiful smooth ballad, soared
to Number 6 in the British chart during 1963.
Also during that year,
Reeves starred in Kimberley Jim, a movie shot in South
Africa - a country he loved (he had previously toured there with
Floyd Cramer and commanded a strong following).
Another classic was issued the following year - I Love You
Because. The song raced to Number 5 in the UK charts, hotly
followed by I Won't Forget You, which reached Number three.
Tragically, Jim Reeves was killed on 31 July 1964 when his
private plane crashed in Nashville, Tennessee.
Since his death he has become more popular even than he was in
his lifetime. During 1965 he had six posthumous British hits,
including It Hurts So Much, Not Until The Next Time
and Is It Really Over?, while the next year, he reached the
top of the British chart in October with Distant Drums.
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