Jim Akins

Better known as "Jim Akins," the youngest of three children was born January 6th 1944 in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. After this he started playing music with another local boy by the name of "Jim Boyer" in High School in which they became the best of friends. Jim Boyer asked Red Kohm to come bye Jim's house and listen to him play piano and sing. Immediately he asked Jim's mother and father if he could hire him to play with The Red Kohm Band at the age of 15. His parents agreed as long as Red would look out for him. At the age of 16 he would travel to stay in St. Louis, Missouri during the week in the summer with his uncle and sometimes at his sisters so he could go down on Goodfellow Avenue to Club Imperial and play with Ike and Tina Turner. Ike as well as the owner of the club, George Edic, recognized his talents. A man by the name of Angelo Triola wanted to sign Jim to record for his record label. But his father refused to sign the Contract because he wanted his son to finish High School and go to College. So Jim came back disappointed but finished High School and won a 4-yr. Scholarship to college in music but when he got to the door left. So he traveled up the Highway with a friend and song writing buddy. Jim auditioned for Marlo Record's, which was owned by a disc jockey by the name of Ron Lipe, who was a close friend of "Bill Black". In 1961 he was immediately signed to record his first record for Marlo Records on the A side "One Little Girl One Little Boy," written by Jim Akins and the B side "Floating On A Cloud," written by Larry Otte, another local boy. There was 10,000 records pressed on this record, which gained him immediate attention. Jim traveled the road in1961 and 1962 with such groups as the "Rhythm Steppers" and "The Shades". During this time he went off the road, because his dad became extremely sick and wanted to tske care of his mother. In 1962 he formed his own 3-piece band called "Jim Akins and the Teen's" in which he became known as "Mr. Rock-A-Billy," Singing and playing his electric piano, all over southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois. His love for recording though took him back to cut his 2nd record "Walkin the road of love," written by Jim and "Answer From Heaven", in Memphis, Tennessee. In the Fern Wood recording studio with "The Bill Black Combo" and brass section arranged by "Bill Justis," released on Marlo Records. This record got him appearances on Russ Carter's "St. Louis Hop," at KSD-TV St. Louis Missouri and George Kline's "Dance Party," WHBQ-TV in Memphis Tennessee.