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

Here Are Some Facts About Jimmie Rodgers, Widely Regarded As The Father Of Country Music

Jimmie Rodgers Facts
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.

While his six year-career was cut short, Jimmie Rodgers managed to create and define the role of a country music star. 

His songs about rounders and gamblers, bounders and ramblers made him the first country star to be recognized all over the nation and the inspiration to many artists that includes Hank Snow, Bill Monroe, and Merle Haggard. Let’s get to know more about this country legend with these fun facts.

1. He’s a native of Meridian, Mississippi. 

Born James Charles Rodgers on September 8, 1897, the country singer was the youngest of three sons. His mother died when he was four, and his father worked as a migrant railroad gang foreman.

2. His mother’s sister was his first biggest musical influence. 

When he lost his mother, young Rodgers’ aunt – who was a former teacher with degrees in music – took him in. She introduced Rodgers to various kinds of genre, even vaudeville songs.

3. He was a wild boy.

While he never caused serious troubles, Rodgers frequently hung out in pool halls and seedy bars. At age thirteen, he found fame by winning a singing contest that encouraged Rodgers to keep running away with a traveling medicine show. His father would always track him down and bring him home.

4. He held a number of jobs at the railroad.

Rodgers left school for good at age fourteen and worked with his father at the railroad. He started as a water carrier, then a baggage master and flagman. The experience exposed him to work songs and early blues of African American laborers, inspiring some of Jimmie Rodgers songs. Eventually, he became a brakeman, a job he would do for the next ten years. 

5. He married twice. 

In 1917, Rodgers married Sandra Kelly after getting to know her for only a couple of weeks. Sadly, their marriage was as brief as their meeting. The couple separated in just a few months and were officially divorced two years later.

Soon enough, Rodgers met and married high school student Carrie Williamson.

6. He is one of the first artists to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

The Country Music Association created the Hall of Fame to recognize an individual’s significant contribution to the genre’s advancement. Rodgers was one of the first artists to be inducted in 1961, along with Fred Rose and Hank Williams. Rodgers was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Blues Hall of Fame. 

7. He died of a lung hemorrhage. 

In 1929, Rodgers officially became a country superstar, with his concerts and records consistently selling out well. Sadly, his diagnosis of tuberculosis five years ago caught on him. As his star shined even brighter, his health declined even more. He died on May 26, 1933, after completing a recording session where he was accompanied by a nurse and needed to rest on a cot in between songs.

Truly, Jimmie Rodgers is the man who started it all!

Latest Stories

HARDY performing live onstage in the U.S., shown here during a past show, ahead of canceling the European leg of his Jim Bob World Tour to prioritize family and crew.

HARDY Cancels European Leg of Jim Bob World Tour Ahead of First-Ever Headlining Dates

The long-awaited European run for HARDY’s Jim Bob World Tour just hit the brakes, and fans across the pond are understandably bummed. On the morning of June 16, HARDY dropped ...

Billy Ray Cyrus stands on the red carpet in a black leather jacket and sunglasses, unintentionally becoming the center of family drama after Trace Cyrus called him out online.

Trace Cyrus Blasts Billy Ray for Skipping Grandma’s Funeral to Chase Fame and It’s About as Ugly as It Gets

When your son calls you “the l𝐚mest man to ever walk planet earth,” it’s safe to say things have gone past the point of no return. Trace Cyrus is not ...

Holly Dunn performs passionately under soft stage lights with her guitar in hand, capturing the emotion behind her heartfelt classic “Daddy’s Hands.”

Holly Dunn Wrote “Daddy’s Hands” for Her Dad and Somehow Spoke for an Entire Generation

This is the kind of song that makes grown men stare out the truck window in silence and pretend it’s just the pollen getting to them. When Holly Dunn wrote ...

Oliver Anthony belts out raw heartbreak in a dimly lit studio session, his face scrunched in pain, strumming a resonator guitar with the kind of fury only divorce can fuel.

Oliver Anthony Poured His Divorce Hell Into “Scornful Woman” and It’s Flat-Out Devastating

You can smell the smoke coming off this one before the first note even hits. Oliver Anthony isn’t one for PR gloss or neatly packaged pain. He’s raw, gravel-throated, and ...

Brad Paisley strums his guitar under a spotlight—looking like he’s about to sing the song that breaks every stepdad’s heart wide open. Not the original performance, but you can feel the same lump in your throat.

Brad Paisley’s “He Didn’t Have to Be” Is the Ultimate Tribute to Men Who Chose to Be Dad

It’s the kind of song that sneaks up on you, then hits like a freight train made of soft memories and old regrets. Before Brad Paisley was co-hosting the CMAs ...

John Foster beams under the spotlight, guitar in hand—looking every bit like the guy who just sold out Baton Rouge in under an hour. Not from that night, but you get the vibe.

John Foster Sold Out Baton Rouge Show in 52 Minutes and Night Two Is Already Locked In

The tickets were gone faster than a cold beer in a Louisiana summer. That’s how fast 1,350 seats disappeared for John Foster’s August 2 show at The Texas Club in ...

Lainey Wilson, George Strait, and Chris Stapleton are featured in a celebratory graphic as the Grammys announce a new Traditional Country Album category, finally recognizing the roots of real country music.

Traditional Country Just Got Its Own Grammy Category and That’s a Win We’ve Waited Decades For

You can almost hear a fiddle crying out in joy from a dusty honky-tonk in Texas. The Recording Academy just handed traditional country music the kind of validation it’s been ...

Lauren Alaina and husband Cam Arnold cradle their newborn daughter Beni Doll Arnold in a hospital room, sharing a joyful family moment just after her birth on June 11.

Lauren Alaina and Husband Cam Arnold Welcome Their First Child, a Beautiful Baby Girl

One minute, she’s singing about “Getting Good,” and the next, she’s holding a baby on her chest, a tear-stained guitar in the corner, and a song she never planned to ...

Zach Bryan performs live on stage in a previous concert, wearing a sleeveless shirt and ball cap, as he announces a surprise $50 Red Rocks show set for August.

Zach Bryan Drops Surprise Red Rocks Show With a $50 Ticket Cap and a Promise to Keep It Real

While everyone else is out here selling pit passes for the price of a mortgage payment, Zach Bryan just dropped a $50 Red Rocks show like it was nothing. On ...

Mark Herndon plays drums on stage with a smile, wearing sunglasses and a bandana, representing his longtime role with country supergroup Alabama despite feeling like an outsider.

He Was Alabama’s Drummer for Years But Mark Herndon Says He Was Never Treated Like He Belonged

He played the beat behind the biggest country band in the world, but they made sure he knew his place. Off to the side. Mark Herndon was the guy in ...