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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZNEWMAN, Jimmy C.(b 27 Aug. '27, High Point LA) Cajun/country singer who combines Cajun fiddle and accordion with straight country in band Cajun Country; the 'C' in his name stands for Cajun. He formed his style in the Lake Charles area of Louisiana where he regularly appeared on radio late '40s. He moved to the Louisiana Hayride, signed with Dot, had first country hit 'Cry, Cry Darling', all in '54. Moved to Grand Ole Opry '56, scored his biggest hit '57 with smooth ballad 'A Fallen Star', top five country and top 30 pop. He went to MGM '58, had hits such as 'You're Making A Fool Out Of Me' and 'A Lovely Work Of Art' '60, but his Cajun roots were in danger of diappearing, so he switched labels again to Decca, had hits 'Alligator Man' '61, 'Bayou Talk' '62. One of the first to record songs by Tom T. Hall, he was a country chart regular through the '60s with 'DJ For A Day' '63, 'Artificial Rose' '65, 'Back Pocket Money' '66, 'Blue Lonely Winter' '67. He has continued to make an impact, keeping the Cajun sound alive in country music, becoming a big draw in Europe and especially the UK. LPs incl. Folk Songs Of The Bayou Country '65 and Country Time '69 on Decca, Cajun Country '82 on RCA; The Alligator Man '91 on Rounder, Cajun And Country Too and Whatever Boils Your Crawfish! on Swallow; two-CD compilation of early tracks Bop A Hula on Bear Family. |