Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Remembering The Death Of Jimmie Rodgers, The First Nationally-Known Country Music Star

Jimmie Rodgers DEATH
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

On May 26, 1933, the world of country music lost the man who started it all. Jimmie Rodgers, who was honored as the Father of Country Music, died at the age of 35 after years of fighting tuberculosis. He succumbed to pulmonary hemorrhage brought by the disease.

Rodgers’ career reached its peak from 1928 to 1932. With his first release getting the public’s extraordinarily strong response, Victor Records arranged for Rodgers to record again. From this session came the famous classic “Blue Yodel (T for Texas),” his first-ever big hit that endured to this day. 

Within months, Rodgers was on his way to national stardom! He played first-run theaters, broadcasted on a regular basis from Washington, D.C., and performed in major Southern cities.

But Things Took A Turn

In 1924, Jimmie Rodgers was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He was only 27 then. 

Eight years later, his failing health made it difficult for him to carry out the international tours he had planned. All through the spring of 1933, Rodgers tried booking personal appearances – but with little success.

Even so, in the month of May that year, Rodgers headed to New York to fulfill his Victor Records’ contract for twelve more recordings. It took him a week to complete these group of sessions. During the first day, he managed to record four songs. However, he had to record sitting down the next day. The final recording session was a tough one for Rodgers. He was so weak that he needed to be accompanied by a nurse and would need to rest on a cot between takes.

RELATED: “Years Ago”: Jimmie Rodgers’ Last Recording

Sadly, two days later, Rodgers collapsed on the street and died after a few hours.

He was buried in Meridian, Mississippi, which has held the annual Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival since 1953 in honor of the anniversary of Rodgers’ death. Truly, a legend will never be forgotten.

Latest Stories

John Foster performs Brooks & Dunn’s “Believe” on American Idol as his emotional mom watches from the audience with a supportive sign on Mother’s Day.

John Foster Sings Brooks & Dunn’s “Believe” for His Mom and Brings Her to Tears in the Audience

It takes guts to sing a Brooks & Dunn song on national TV, especially one like “Believe.” But it takes something even heavier to pull it off on Mother’s Day, ...

Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban side by side as fans debate Stapleton's powerful ACM performance of "Blue Ain't Your Color" and whether it outshined the original.

Chris Stapleton Took On Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” but Who Sang It Better

Keith Urban may have recorded it first, but Chris Stapleton just might’ve claimed it for good. When Stapleton took the stage at the 2025 ACM Awards and delivered a smoldering ...

Maren Morris appears in a recent interview, attempting to clarify her stance on country music after previously signaling a departure from the genre.

Maren Morris Now Claims She Never Said She Was Leaving Country Music

Maren Morris wants you to know she never said she was leaving country music. Apparently, all that talk about burning it down was just a misunderstanding. In a new interview ...

Alan Jackson grows emotional during his 2025 ACM Awards speech after performing “Remember When” and receiving the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award named in his honor.

Alan Jackson Breaks Down Thanking His Wife at the ACMs After Lifetime Achievement Win

Alan Jackson has never been one for theatrics. His music has always spoken about love, life, and family in plain, honest language. But on Thursday night at the 2025 ACM ...

Brooks & Dunn share a laugh backstage as they reflect on their journey from million-dollar royalty checks on a bus to breaking records again at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Brooks & Dunn Remember the Day They Got Their First Million-Dollar Check on the Bus

Long before they were legends, Brooks & Dunn were just two guys chasing a country music dream. And like a scene straight out of a Nashville fairytale, they still remember ...

Gretchen Wilson attends the 2025 ACM Awards red carpet, re-emerging after years away due to health struggles and marking the start of her country music comeback.

Gretchen Wilson Reveals the Health Struggle That Took Her Away From Country Music

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Gretchen Wilson in the spotlight, but now we know why. The “Redneck Woman” singer has kept a low profile for the better part ...

Maren Morris appears on a talk show couch expressing her thoughts, shortly before calling out pop artists for "cosplaying" as country singers—a statement stirring irony given her own history with the genre.

Maren Morris Calls Out Pop Stars “Cosplaying” as Country and Yes the Irony Is Real

File this one under “you can’t make this up.” Maren Morris, who all but broke up with country music just two years ago, is now calling out pop stars for ...

Lainey Wilson poses with a horse in a star-studded outfit, capturing the same down-home authenticity and bold flair that earned her Entertainer of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Lainey Wilson Won Entertainer of the Year and There’s a Damn Good Reason

Another year, another win. Lainey Wilson walked out of the 2025 ACM Awards with the Entertainer of the Year trophy for the second time in a row, and while some ...

Morgan Wallen performs for a packed stadium crowd in an earlier concert moment—just months before his ACM Awards shutout sparked major fan backlash in 2025.

Morgan Wallen Fans Say There Was “Zero Reason He Shouldn’t Have Won” After ACM Snub

The 60th ACM Awards went off in Frisco, Texas, with big performances, big speeches, and big wins. But not for Morgan Wallen. And his fans are not keeping quiet about ...

Old Dominion captured here in a past promo photo, just before breaking Rascal Flatts’ record with their eighth straight Group of the Year win at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Old Dominion Snatched a Record Rascal Flatts Held for Over a Decade

It finally happened. Old Dominion broke a record that most thought would stand forever. At the 2025 ACM Awards, the Nashville-based five-piece won Group of the Year for the eighth ...