LAST UPDATED ON 28 JUNE 2009
WELCOME TO THE HOMEPAGE OF THE JIM REEVES FAN CLUB
THIS WEB SITE WAS ENDORSED BY JIM'S LEAD GUITAR PLAYER THE LATE LEO JACKSON
Our objective is to promote the music of Jim Reeves and keep the memory of him alive. Also, we supply the members with a quarterly fan club magazine of 12 pages, full of interesting articles, album reviews, photos, etc.
The fan club was founded as THE NEW DUTCH JIM REEVES FAN CLUB by Arie den Dulk and Bert Bossink in 1975. For the first two years we catered only to Dutch speaking fans, but since the closure of the British Jim Reeves Fan Club in 1977, we have two editions of the club magazine, one in Dutch, the other in English. Some years ago we changed to our present name as for more than 2
5 years it has been the only Jim Reeves fan club.Our approximately 250 members live all over the world, but 80% are Europeans. We have members in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australasia, India and Japan.
On this website we'll put various information such as discographies, newspaper cuttings and photographs from my own and other collections. Any material from visitors to this site is welcome.
If you wish to join the fan club or would like to know more about it,
or have any questions, please write to: The Jim Reeves
Fan Club. Or you may send mail to our postal
address, which is:
Jim Reeves Fan Club
Postbus 66
2280 AB Ryswyk
The
Netherlands
29 JUNE 2009
NEW UPDATE TO 'DID YOU KNOW?' SECTION
We have again updated the
'DID YOU KNOW?' section with two new items.Please click here to read about it
24 MAY 2009
THE NEW SONY/BMG CD ALBUM 'THE VERY BEST OF JIM REEVES' CLIMBED TO THE NUMBER 8 POSITION ON THE BBC RADIO 1 'TOP 40' CHART THIS WEEK!
Click here to visit the BBC RADIO 1'S OFFICIAL TOP 40 CHART
23 MAY 2009
A NEW SONY/BMG JIM REEVES CD ALBUM ENTERS THE BBC RADIO 1 'TOP 40' CHART AT NUMBER 9!
SONY/BMG has released a 20 track Jim Reeves compilation CD with a not veryoriginal, but descriptive title of 'THE VERY BEST OF JIM REEVES'. It entered the prestigious BBC Radio 1 'Top 40' charts on 17 May. It has been a very long time ago since a Jim Reeves album made it to such an important chart. Some months ago the Thomson Holidays television advert featured the sound track of the song 'Welcome to my world'. That advert proved to the best promotion for Jim Reeves in many years and it revived the interest for Jim Reeves' songs and that song in particular. To the regular Jim Reeves fans this album offers no new or rare tracks, but it may attract new fans and/or the demand for less know, but as beautiful tracks!
Click here to visit the BBC RADIO 1'S OFFICIAL TOP 40 CHART
Click here to visit the track listing and watch the commercial for the album
17 MAY 2009
'DID YOU KNOW?' SECTION ADDED TO THE WEBSITE
Since Leo Jackson died last year, the fan club has frequently received requests from fans for unknown or rarely published information and/or stories about Jim Reeves and the people who were associated with him. The 'DID YOU KNOW?' section has been added to the website today and there will be regular updates , announced here.Please click here to read about it
11 MAY 2009
JIM REEVES FEATURED IN DUTCH RADIO 5 'TOP 1000 OF THE SIXTIES ' PROGRAM
Dutch Radio 5, which broadcasts mainly music for listeners who are over the age of 50, will transmit the 'TOP 1000 OF THE SIXTIES' chart on radio and internet from May 11 to 15 . Eight Jim Reeves songs are on the list. At No. 31: DISTANT DRUMS, No. 56: HE'LL HAVE TO GO, No. 73: ADIOS AMIGO, No. 135: WELCOME TO MY WORLD, No. 394: I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, No. 852: THERE'S A HEARTACHE FOLLOWING YOU, No. 884: AM I LOSING YOU, and at No. 918, I WON'T FORGET YOU.
You can listen to the program at
http://player.omroep.nl/?zenid=52
5 MAY 2009
LEO JACKSON REMEMBERED
Leo Jackson died a year ago today. A floral tribute from the fan club has been put on his grave.
Please click here to read about it
15 MARCH 2009
DEBORAH ALLEN SUFFERED A RUPTURED APPENDIX
Female singer Deborah Allen, who was handpicked by Mary Reeves to record posthumously duets with Jim Reeves in 1979, suffered a ruptured appendix and needed immediate surgery last Friday. We sent her our 'get well wishes' and she replied :
"It was quite an unexpected scare. A ruptured appendix. Without going into all the details, I will just say it was a very close call and god was watching over me to bring me through such a serious situation. I am at home now beginning my recovery. Please ask them to visit:
www.LastTimeForEverything.com to listen and post comments about my latest song there. All get well e-mails can go through my website at www.deborahallen.comThanks so much for your love ad support, and for all of your prayers.
Sincerely,
Deborah Allen
9 MARCH 2009
GRAND OLE OPRY STAR HANK LOCKLIN DIES AT 91
HANK LOCKLIN died Sunday, 8th of March at his home in Brewton, Alabama at the blessed age of 91. Hank Locklin's greatest hits were “Please Help Me, I’m Falling” and “Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On” Hank knew Jim Reeves very well, besides recording for the same record company, RCA and recording in the same studio, using usually the same producer and musicians, they occasionally performed at the same show. Hank and Jim were both part of the 1957 USO tour to Europe. A couple of years ago Bear Family released a CD album called '5000 Miles Away From Home' with recordings from one of the shows from that tour, recorded in Germany.
27 FEBRUARY 2009
"ARE YOU BEING SERVED ?"ACTRESS WENDY RICHARD DIED
Wendy Richard died on 26 February 2009 at the Harley Street Clinic, where she was being treated for cancer.
The connection to Jim Reeves was that in May 1963 Wendy teamed up with hairdresser Diana Berry and recorded a record "We Had A Dream" with the flipside "Keep 'Em Looking Around". On Tuesday 11 June 1963, they went to a BBC radio studio in London to promote their record in the "POP INN" radio program. There they met Jim Reeves, who was a guest on that program too. A picture of the was taken and appeared in an issue of the 'New Musical Express" a few days later. Wendy's record didn't made the charts and she pursued a career in acting instead.
19 JANUARY 2009
ONLINE NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON JIM REEVES ESTATE
Today's issue of The City Newspaper, a Nashville Online source for daily news featured an article with the title 'Little Ole Dime', about the continuing story of the battle of what is left of the Reeves' fortune.
Please click here to read about it
13 JANUARY 2009
BILLY BROWN, DIES AT AGE 79
Billy Brown, who was the first singer to have a record of He'll Have To Go" out, died at his home on Saturday January 10th, 2009. He was suffering from emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for many years.
Please click here to read more about Billy Brown
11 JANUARY 2009
JIM REEVES FAN OFFERS JIM REEVES MEMORABILIA FOR SALE
Please click here to read about it
8 JANUARY 2009
PICTURES OF LEO JACKSON'S GRAVE
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO NELL JACKSON
Please click here to read about it
3 JANUARY 2009
JIM REEVES WITH 3 RECORDS IN DUTCH RADIO 2 'TOP 2000' 2008 CHARTS
The tenth Radio 2 'Top 2000' chart has been broadcast between December 25th and midnight on December 31st 2008. It had not been complied by votes send in by listeners, instead it was based on the Top 200 charts of the previous Nine years. Jim Reeves positions were: # 1043: I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, # 1162: HE'LL HAVE TO GO, and # 1363: DISTANT DRUMS
1 JANUARY 2009
WE WISH ALL JIM REEVES FANS A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
12 DECEMBER 2008
CHRISTMAS TIME AT THE HOME OF JIM AND MARY REEVES
Two pictures taken at Jim's home at Christmas time.
Please click here to view them
17 November 2008
BRITISH CD LABEL RELEASES 2 CD JIM REEVES ALBUM WITH 36 VOICEMASTERS RECORDINGS IN THE UK AND IRELAND
Click here to read about it
11 November 2008
FLORAL TRIBUTE FOR MARY REEVES ON THE NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF HER DEATH
Click here to read about it
7 November 2008
JIM REEVES FEATURED IN DUTCH RADIO 5 'EVERGREEN TOP 1000 OF 2008' PROGRAM
Dutch Radio 5 which broadcasts mainly music for listeners who are over the age of 50, transmitted their annual 'EVERGREEN TOP 1000' on radio and internet this week. Eight Jim Reeves songs are on the list: (126) Bimbo, (141) He'll Have To Go, (192) I Love You Because, (445) Four Walls, (489) Distant Drums, (772) Someday You'll Want Me To Want You, (842) Adios Amigo, and (892) I Won't Forget You.
The selection of the song 'Someday You'll Want Me To Want You' reflects the
large numbers of copies of the album 'Songs To Warm The Heart' sold in The
Netherlands. It has been mentioned in a book that in the Seventies, almost every
family in the Netherlands had a copy of this album. Many Jim Reeves fans,
including myself, were introduced to Jim Reeves' wonderful voice by this album.
25 October 2008
SONGWRITER DANNY HILL HAS PASSED AWAY
Danny Dill passed away on October 23. Danny had been in failing health for a long time and was in the hospital at the time of his death. He was 83 years old. The funeral service was at 11 AM today, October 25, at the Chase Funeral Home in Huntington, TN where Danny was from.
Danny Dill was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975. He wrote or co-wrote two of the all-time classic Country songs, Long Black Veil and Detroit City (I Wanna Go Home). He also wrote a lesser know song, Partners, that was recorded by Jim Reeves.
Here’s a link to a great bio about Danny.
http://www.hillbilly-music.
18 October 2008
TRIVIA QUESTION
Which British recording artist , who became a celebrated television actress later in her career, and had met Jim Reeves during the British Isles tour of 1963, has fronted the newspapers and magazines recently?
Click here to read about it
11 September 2008
FAN CLUB MEETING 2008
If he had still lived, Jim would have celebrated his 85th Birthday on 20th of August. In commemoration of this, the fan club held a meeting in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Click here to read about it
20 August 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIM REEVES!
Today Jim Reeves would
have celebrated his 85st Birthday. To celebrate the occasion we have
put up a never before published picture from the collection of Frank C.
Anderson.
Click here to view the Birthday tribute.
11 AUGUST 2008
DON HELMS, THE LAST REMAINING MEMBER OF HANK WILLIAM'S BAND 'THE DRIFTING COWBOYS' DIED AT THE AGE OF 81.
Don Helms died this morning. He was born on February 27, 1927 and played the steel guitar on 100 of Hank Williams' recordings. After Hank's death he played for many other artists, including Jim Reeves. On January 25, 1956 Don played steel guitar on 4 classic JIM REEVES recordings: ROLY POLY, TWEEDLE O'TWILL, HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU, and OKLAHOMA HILLS.
1 AUGUST 2008
(Updated 29 August 2008)
FLORAL TRIBUTES FOR JIM REEVES AND DEAN MANUEL ON JULY 31, 2008
Click here to read about it
WORLD WIDE TRIBUTES FOR JIM REEVES
On and around July 31st many radio stations around the world transmitted tributes to Jim Reeves, many have been transmitted on the web too. With the death of Leo Jackson earlier this year, there was no special guest in any of the tributes who told personal stories about Jim Reeves and Dean Manuel.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GINNY WRIGHT!
Ginny Wright celebrates her Birthday today. Ginny recorded a duet song with Jim Reeves. "I LOVE YOU' was released on FABOR, the record label Ginny recorded for, while Jim's records were released on ABBOTT. Both labels were owned by Fabor Robinson. Ginny also toured with Jim Reeves on several tours, One was named "The Strange Music Show' by the late Leo Jackson, whose memories of that particular tour appeared in one of the issues of the fan club magazine. Ginny and I are long time friends since I met Ginny for an interview in 1977. We wish Ginny and her family a Happy Birthday!
27 JULY 2008
NEW SOUTH AFRICAN JIM REEVES WEBSITE
Fan club member Leon Hart reported he has created a Jim Reeves website in the Afrikaans language.
On the website there is a link to four programs on Jim Reeves to be aired in the Afrikaans language on Radio Pretoria:
Jim Reeves - Soos Ons Hom Leer Ken Het: 14:15 on 17 July 2008, and 21:30 on 23 July 2008
Jim Reeves - Postume Ontdekkings: 14:15 on 24 July 2008, and 21:30 on 30 July 2008
Jim Reeves en Suid-Afrika: 14:15 on 31 July 2008, and 21:30 on 6 Augustus 2008
J
im Reeves - Klankgenote: 14:15 on 7 Augustus 2008, and 21:30 on 13 Augustus 2008The URL of Radio Pretoria is http://www.radiopretoria.co.za/
19 JULY 2008
ISSUE #114 OF THE JIM REEVES FAN CLUB MAGAZINE FEATURES PART OF AN UNPUBLISHED INTERVIEW WITH JIM REEVES AND BILL ANDERSON
This week, issue #114 of the fan club magazine has been mailed to the members of the fan club. It features a 5 page interview with Ray Baker, who worked for Jim Reeves and Mary Reeves for a number of years. In commemoration of the 44th anniversary of Jim's death on July 31st, and what would have been his 85th Birthday, there a transcript of part of a never before published interview with Jim Reeves and Bill Anderson about the song 'LOSING YOUR LOVE', recorded at the 1961 disk jockey convention in Nashville. With thanks to Mr. Frank C. Anderson who kindly supplied the transcript and Mr. Bill Anderson for granting permission to publish it in the fan club magazine.
6 JULY 2008
FLORAL TRIBUTES PLANNED FOR JIM REEVES AND DEAN MANUEL ON JULY 31, 2008
Click here to read about it
22 JUNE 2008
FAN CLUB MEETING 2008
This year Jim would have celebrated his 85th Birthday. In commemoration of this, the fan club has planned a meeting in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Click here to read about it
8 JUNE 2008
45TH ANNIVERSARY OF JIM REEVES TOUR OF IRELAND
45 years ago, Jim Reeves and the Blue Boys were engaged on a 3 week tour that took them all over the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and a number of American air force bases in England. On Saturday June 8, 1963 Jim did two shows in the Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tickets for both shows sold out 3 weeks in advance! On the following Monday, the 10th of June, the 'BELFAST NEWSLETTER' published a picture of Jim Reeves signing an autograph for Miss Freda Verner, of Newtonbreda.
27 MAY 2008
RARE JIM REEVES BRONZE STATUE BEING AUCTIONED BY WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION
Wisconsin Public Television are having a televised auction and a company has donated a beautiful 30"bronze statue of Jim Reeves. The sculptor is Bill Rains and it is a very limited edition piece that is no longer available on the market. Estimate of the piece is $12,500. To bid on it go to http://auction.wpt.org/ and then enter Jim Reeves in the keyword search area.
18 MAY 2008
'THANK YOU' LETTER TO FANS FROM LANI ARNOLD
I would like to thank everyone for their kind words, thoughts and prayer for our Granddaughter, Camryn Leigh Harris. There is never a day that passes that we do not think about our precious Michaela. But we know that she is in God's hands. Camryn is progressing well and she is catching up to other babies her age. We were told that she would be a little behind until she was about two due to being premature but she is really surprising the doctors. She is truly a miracle from God!
11 MAY 2008
THE FINAL UPDATE TO THE 'ASK LEO JACKSON' SECTION
A week after he died, we have updated the 'Ask Leo Jackson' section for the very last time.
Click here to read about it
8 MAY 2008
DICK CLARK WILL RECEIVE JIM REEVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD
On May 18, Dick Clark, the veteran television personality, will receive the Jim Reeves International award at the 43rd ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, to be broadcast live on CBS Television Network on May 18th. The award is presented to an individual for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world.
Jim Reeves appeared on the Dick Clark Show on three occasions in 1958, and twice on Dick Clark's American Bandstand in 1960.
Click here to read more about the event
COUNTRY LEGEND EDDY ARNOLD DIED AT AGE 89
We learned that singer Eddy Arnold died at a care facility near Nashville, almost two months after the death of his wife Sally. He would have celebrated his 90th Birthday next week,
Click here to read more about it.
7 MAY 2008
TRIBUTE TO
LEO JACKSONRonnie Light, a Nashville producer, wrote a tribute of his friend, Leo Jackson. In short it tells about the life and times of Leo.
Click here to read the article
THE LEO JACKSON MEMORIAL FUND
The Leo Jackson Memorial Fund has been established in his
honor to remember him in the way he would have appreciated most. His wife Nell,
his son Leo and his grandsons, Dallas and Jordan were his inspiration.
The Leo Jackson Memorial Fund has been established with SunTrust Bank. Donations
may be made at any branch or mailed directly to:
Peter Erickson
SunTrust Bank, Nashville
Mail Code TN-NA-1120
401 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37219
for more information e-mail write to Tracy Short (his niece)
at tshort@awbyrdco.com
6 MAY 2008
LEO JACKSON'S OBITUARY ' IN TODAY'S 'TENNESSEAN'
George Edward "Leo" Jackson JACKSON, George Edward "Leo" Age 73 of Goodlettsville. May 4, 2008. Mr. Jackson played lead guitar for the late Jim Reeves and was the first Blue Boy Band member hired by Jim Reeves. He also recorded with the group Alabama and George Strait, and many others. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Nell Walls Jackson and his son, Leo D. Jackson, both of Goodlettsville; 4 grandchildren also survive. His family will receive friends from 6 - 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at Hendersonville Funeral Home and on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 from 2 - 4 and 6 - 8 p.m.. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2008 from the Chapel of Hendersonville Funeral Home, with Rev. Jimmy Snow officiating. Honorary Pallbearers will include Jim Pierce, Arnie Benoni, Billy Hodges, Jimmy Pomonis and James Kirkland. Family members will serve as Active Pallbearers. Interment will be in Hendersonville Memory Gardens. HENDERSONVILLE FUNERAL HOME, 615-824-3855.Please note the revised funeral arrangements!
It is interesting to know that an error was made with the name of one of the pallbearers: Jimmy Pomonis should have read Johnny Pomonis, who was a friend of both Leo Jackson and Jim Reeves. It is fitting that one of the surviving members of the Blue Boys, James Kirkland, is pallbearer too.
DUNDALKFM RADIO PLAYED TRIBUTE TO LEO JACKSON
Jimmy Neary, from Ireland, called to inform that DundalkFM radio would do a Leo Jackson tribute this afternoon. I couldn't listen to it myself but have been informed by e-mail that an interview with Leo from the Jim Reeves tribute program transmitted on July 27 last year , has been transmitted again.
I have received many letters with condolences for Leo Jackson's family which I will pass on to them.
Peter Atkinson from England sent us a tribute banner which we have put on the top of this web page.
5 MAY 2008
UPDATE ON LEO JACKSON DEATH
In today's edition of THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN appeared a report about the death of Leo Jackson. He apparently committed suicide by shooting himself while in bed. He was suffering from strong back pains he had suffered before. Although the prescribed strong pain killer might have lowered the threshold, he had told at least three of his closest friends, including myself, what he would do if that very painful back pain returned. I knew then that no one could change his mind about it. His son Leo, once nicknamed 'Little Leo', found his father wounded in bed 12:30 yesterday afternoon.
Click here to read the newspaper article
LETTER FROM JIM PIERCE
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I am writing to Leo’s friends to let them know of his passing. He died yesterday around 12:30 in the afternoon. As many of you know, Leo had suffered many health problems over the past several years. Along with surgeries and medication he continued to be up beat about his situation and was always ready to email a good joke to his friends.
Unfortunately, one of the health problems was with his back. I know he couldn’t bare the thought of undergoing the unspeakable agony from another attack. Obviously that attack happened for a second time yesterday.
I had spoken to him only a few minutes before 12:30 and he told me his back went out again. He did not tell me it was the same situation as the bad one from before. From time to time his back would give him problems but never as bad as the severe one. But Sunday would be the return of the horrendous pain and he could not go through it again. Subsequently, he ended his suffering the only way he could think of…he took his own life.
Leo was like a brother to me and I’ll miss him more than I can say.
Jim Pierce
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS (REVISED)
Visitation for Jackson will be held Tuesday from 6-8 p.m., and Wednesday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. On Thursday, visitation will begin at 8 a.m. until the funeral at 2 p.m. Both the visitations and the funeral will take place at Hendersonville Memory Gardens Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 353 Johnny Cash Blvd. Interment will be in Hendersonville Memory Gardens.
4 MAY 2008
LEO JACKSON IS DEAD
We received confirmation from Leo Jackson's family that Leo died a few hours ago at home. Yesterday, he had send an e-mail to his friends about his health condition and reported that he was on the mend and that it could take awhile before he could answer all the e-mails and he thanked all for the prayers.
Leo underwent minor surgery on Tuesday, returned home, and was taken back to the emergency room and spent Thursday night in hospital. His family took him back home on Friday. His wife Nell was very optimistic about his recovery when we talked to her yesterday. There for his death comes as quite a shock to all of his friends.
I know I spoke for all Jim Reeves fans when I passed on my condolences to Nell and the family when I spoke to her tonight. She was overwhelmed with grief and details about what has happened and funeral will be released later.
Our friendship has lasted for about 18 years, in those years our friendship grew with every letter, phone call, and e-mail. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Nashville a few times and had been invited to his home, which is very unusual, as Leo was a very private person.
Those who have seen Leo perform at the fan club meeting in Carthage in April 2003 and at concerts in Europe a couple of years ago, will agree that he had not lost his skills.
We all have the recordings of Jim Reeves and the Blue Boys as a memorial to Leo's guitar playing. Very few fans, if any, have realised the importance of Leo to the 'JIM REEVES SOUND'. Leo created it with his guitar, Jim liked it, and when Leo went into the Army, any guitar player who replaced Leo, had to listen to Jim's records and had to copy Leo's style and guitar licks.
For the last couple of years, we discussed a lot of subjects in at least two hundred phone calls, ranging from the beginning when he joined Jim Reeves to the the current fan scene.
We received his last contribution to the 'ASK LEO' section last week and delayed posting until Leo had replied to another one. It will be posted a week from now.
We will put up a special Leo Jackson tribute webpage later in the week. It will not have any 'world exclusive' or such claims, we consider that very inappropriate for such a very sad occasion.
Leo Jackson will be very much missed by all of us.
MORE NEWS ITEMS
Click HERE to read them
IN MEMORIAM
MARY REEVES
20 January 1929 - 11 November 1999
Please click HERE for our tribute
Click on the camera for links to a collection of photographs of Jim Reeves.
Scrapbook (updated
30 March 2004)List of radio shows issued on transcription records (updated 7 December 2001)
The opening of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.
Pictures of the Jim Reeves Memorial in Carthage.
Pictures of the former Jim Reeves "EVERGREEN" Museum in Madison
Pictures of the mausoleum where Mary Reeves has been put to rest
Please click HERE for
links to other sites
Copyright: Arie den Dulk
( 2004-2009)
