Arkie Shibley
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2020) |
Arkie Shibley | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jesse Lee Shibley |
| Also known as | Arkie Shibley |
| Born | 21 Sept 1915 Van Buren, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | 7 Sept 1975 Van Buren, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Genres | Early Rockabilly and Western Swing |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Guitar |
| Years active | mid-1940s - 1959 |
| Labels | 4 Star (Gilt-Edge) Mae-Mae Records, Mt Dew Records |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/ArkieShibley |
Jesse Lee Shibley, known as Arkie Shibley was an American country singer who recorded the original version of "Hot Rod Race" in the fall of 1950. The record was important because "it introduced automobile racing into popular music and underscored the car's relevance to American culture, particularly youth culture."[1]
Arkie Shibley was born on September 21, 1915, in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas to David Monta and Prudence "Prudie" Shibley nee Finch, both farmers. Shibley was a cattle farmer himself and, on November 22, 1935, married Evelyn Marie Breeden; they eventually had four children: sons Jesse Frederick "Fred" (born 1937) and Calvin Gene (1940) and daughters Dixie Sue (1942) and Bonnie LyRaine (1953).
In 1936, Arkie and family relocated to Bremerton, Washington, where he helped build the Illahee State Park by day and played swing country by night. In Bremerton, Jesse acquired the nickname "Arkie" and, around 1948, began hosting a regular country music show on radio station KBRG in Bremerton. Self-taught on guitar, Shibley assembled a group of musicians in the mid-1940s who would stay with him for almost a full decade: Leon Kelly (lead guitar), Phil Fregon (fiddle), Jack Hays (bass and banjo), and Dean Manuel (piano). Calling themselves the Mountain Dew Boys, they made their first recordings for the obscure Mae-Mae label on the West Coast in the late 1940s. By that time, Shibley had moved to California.
Although the writing credit for "Hot Rod Race" is given to George Erwin Wilson Jr., "Hot Rod Race" was not written by George. It was written by his son, Ronald George "Ron" Wilson, who was 17-years-old at the time, and could not sign a legal and binding contract. Ron never received a dime for his efforts. His father, George sold the rights for $500 as if he was the writer. He offered the song to 4 Star Records in Los Angeles, but was turned down, and Shibley decided to release the song on his own Mt Dew Record label. The record was credited to "Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys," the line-up being Shibley on rhythm guitar, Leon Kelly on lead guitar, Jackie Hayes on bass and banjo, and Phil Fregon on fiddle.
"Hot Rod Race" became a hit and was reissued on 4 Star's Gilt Edge imprint. Shibley's record sold more than 1,000,000 copies and raced up the country charts in January 1951, peaking at No. 5, with cover versions on major labels by Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan on Capitol, Red Foley on Decca and Tiny Hill on Mercury. The Hill version also crossed over to the pop charts (No. 29).
In 1951 Shibley recorded four sequels to his hit, all performed in a Woody Guthrie-like talking blues style: "Hot Rod Race # 2", "Arkie Meets the Judge (Hot Rod Race # 3)", "The Guy in the Mercury (Hot Rod Race # 4)" and "The Kid in the Model A (Hot Rod Race # 5)". He died in Van Buren, Arkansas, in on 7 September 1975.
"Hot Rod Race" prompted the even more successful answer song "Hot Rod Lincoln", a hit for Charlie Ryan (recorded 1955 and 1959, charted 1960, No. 33 pop), Johnny Bond (1960, No. 26 pop) and Commander Cody (1972, No. 9 pop). Shibley's record also directly influenced Chuck Berry's "Maybellene", Gene Vincent's "Race With The Devil", and the succession of hot rod records by the Beach Boys and others in the early 1960s.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^ Jim Dawson; Steve Propes (1992). What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record. Boston & London: Faber & Faber. ISBN 0-571-12939-0.
External links TIMS this is my story ... https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/arkie_shibley.htm?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2dpUVjJ-NqLsdVw5dDr_tdvFA89eWC3CSYoS00N-dPfbUambsiURpm5O4_aem_AcqistLZKlIvj2uEQA-44wmP7bfHa_9OAjGklPN3J8C8x8jFsFOFQgHkzBsLUvJFGj_VDgxr8OT8BeVHonq55qSf[edit]
Encyclopedia of Arkansas ... https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/jesse-lee-arkie-shibley-4922/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3LUADValrBlyk_OrocmrLhaCL5CTiwptcZubXHk_M01q7V8Kvt5l-6dXI_aem_Acr7PHuMRadJCrRVX9xt7bB8AHCpjLLCDOVHmDwCO314J45mpHEI71ktbN9zenFgI-ez1q8p89XOmYC2WlJiqbAs
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
