Jimmie Dee

Originally from Iola, Jim Dale graduated from Emporia State Teachers College, and currently lives in Burlington, KS. While a student in Emporia, he cut his first record, a 1959 single on Inner-Glo Records called "Guitar Pickin’ Man", on which he called himself Jimmie Dee. The song's co-writer, Chuck Cowan, sang the flipside. While working as a teacher in Madison, KS, Jim recorded the regionally successful “VW”, (backed by the Lawrence band The Comancheros, who's instrumental “TP” was on the flipside) which spent some sixteen weeks on the local charts in 1963. That success led to a contract with Mid Continent Entertainment and engagements throughout the Midwest. By early 1965, Dale put out another single called "Who'll Be The Fool Of The Year” on Command Records. A move to Nashville provided Jim a chance record with likes of Ray Stevens, Jimmy Bryant, Charlie McCoy and Jerry Reed. While in Nashville, Jim co-wrote “Stampede” for a young Hank Williams Jr. Jim eventually landed in California where he sang and wrote with some the top names in the industry. In addition to a contract with the Buck Owens group, Jim collaborated with Freddie Hart to write “Cravin’” and “Jesus Is My Kind of People”. “Cravin’“ appeared on Freddie Hart’s “Bless Your Heart” album that ended up as the number three country album of 1972. In addition to Freddie Hart, “Jesus Is My Kind Of People” has been covered by the likes of Gladys Knight and Etta James. While in California, he was handpicked by Gene Autry to take over Gene’s Melody Ranch radio-turned-television show, which Jim hosted as the New Melody Ranch. Some of Jim’s additional recording credits include “Mountain Dew” and “Little Boy Blue” (Monument Records), “Learn To Cheat And Steal” and “Goin’ Is A Long Way Home” (Shasta Records), “A Tale Of Two Cities” and “Hard Workin’ Man” (Lincoln Records), “Copper Pennies, Silver Dollars And Golden Memories” (Dore Records), and “Prayer For Peace” and “Point Of No Return” (Boone Records).