Jimmy SWAN

Chanteur US né en 1912 à Cullman (Alabama), de son vrai nom James Edgar Schwann. Jimmy Swan a débuté dans la station de radio de Hattiesburg au début des années cinquante. Il fait un premier single en 1952 chez Trumpet avant de rejoindre MGM Records en 1953. Jimmy Swan a aussi enregistré pour Decca (60), JB (65-66) et Big Howdy Records (68). Il fut Disc Jockey sur WFOR en 1954 et disc jockey et chanteur sur WBKH en 1956. Jimmy Swan est décédé en 1995.
Titres :
Triflin' On Me (1952) - TRUMPET
Country Cattin' (1956) - MGM

08/1952	SP TRUMPET 45-176 (US)	Juke Joint Mama (1) / I Had A Dream (1)
08/1952	SP TRUMPET 45-177 (US)	Triflin' On Me (2) / I Love You Too Much
02/1953	SP MGM K11450 (US)	The Last Letter / The Little Church
09/1953	SP TRUMPET 45-197 (US)	Losers Weepers / Mark Of Shame
03/1954	SP TRUMPET 45-198 (US)	Lonesome Daddy Blues (2) / One More Time
12/1955	SP MGM K12136 (US)	Frost On My Roof / Its Your Turn To Cry
04/1956	SP MGM K12226 (US)	Hey, Baby, Baby / Why Did You Change Your Mind
10/1956	SP MGM K12348 (US)	Country Cattin' / The Way You're Living
10/1956	SP MGM K12348 (US)	Lonesome Man / Good And Lonesome
02/1960	SP DECCA 9-31043 (US)	No One Loves A Broken Heart (3) / Don't Conceal Your Wedding Ring (3)
05/1965	SP JB 102 (US)	Honky Tonkin' / I Love You Too Much
1965	SP JB 105 (US)	Rattlesnake Daddy / It Takes A Lonesome Man
1966	SP JB 109 (US)	Walkin' My Dog / Asleep In The Deep
1968	SP BIG HOWDY 8107 (US)	Good And Lonesome / Why Did You Change Your Mind

(1) Jimmy Swan / Cowboy Jim & His Range Riders
(2) Jimmy Swan & His Range Riders
(3) Jimmy Swan & The Sons Of The South

According to Mr. Anderson, as Jimmy’s radio career flourished, so did his songwriting career. His most famous composition probably would be The Way That You’re Living. In addition to Jimmy’s recording of the song, it was covered by at least three other major artists of the day. James O’Gwynn (also from Hattiesburg) recorded it, as did Jimmy C. Newman. The Texas Troubadour, Ernest Tubb, featured the song on his Thanks a Lot album.
Jimmy's songs began to show up in the country music magazines of the day along with their lyrics. These tunes included "I Love You Too Much", "Losers Weepers", "The Mark Of Shame", "Why Did You Change", "Don't Conceal Your Ring", "No One Loves A Broken Heart", "The Way That You're Living", "Hey Baby Baby" and "Lonesome Man".
JImmy wrote a few paragraphs for Country Song Roundup's Fifth Anniversary issue in 1954 as did many disc jockeys around the country.

"Being a DJ and a recording artist, born and raised in the country, Folk music has meant everything to me. It has given me and mine things we never would have realized — a home and a chance to meet some of the most wonderful folks I have ever met.

Folk music has given me the chance to tell the world what is in the heart of a Country boy by writing and singing the songs we love, songs of everyday life with Country folks, as we live it. Some folks write books and other things to express their feelings, but we Country artists express our feelings in writing and singing those songs.

Let me say thanks to Country Song Roundup for the way it comes to our aid, helping us Country artist and DJs bring our songs ot the whole world. Without your untiring efforts, we'd find the going just a little tougher."

— Jimmy Swan, 1954

Glen Campbell and Tex Clark wrote in their regular feature, "Letter To The Home Folks" column in late 1954 that Jimmy was being heard over at WHSY, also in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and just signed on with the Dixie Broadcasting Company.
Disc Jockey Al Dunaway wrote a letter to the editor of Country & Western Jamboree magazine in late 1955 that gives us some insight as to how the radio network may have worked back then. Al had to leve his show for a time to serve in the military. It was called "Country Capers". He had Jimmy Swan on as well as his own six piece western swing band, the Rockin' Rhythmaires. Jimmy's part of the show came from Hattiesburg, MS via the network hookup over the Dixie Broadcasting system.

In 1967 Jimmy entered the political scene again and ran in the Mississippi Democratic Primary for Governor. Had he won the Democratic nomination, he would have faced Republican candidate Rubel Phillips in the state’s general election in November. Jimmy finished a strong third in the primary.
He ran again in 1971, and again finished third; it was his last effort for political office. During the 1971 campaign, Mr. Anderson recalls someone actually made an assassination attempt on Jimmy somewhere in Mississippi’s Delta region. After finishing his campaign speeches, Jimmy would usually sit in the front seat of his car while his friend and chauffeur, Pat Massengill, drove them to the next destination. One night someone was driving in the opposite direction down the highway and fired a shot where Jimmy normally sat. Jimmy’s life was spared that night; he was sleeping in the back seat instead. Massengill fired back at the other car, but never knew if he hit anyone. No one was ever arrested in the case.
Stan tells us that the 1971 election in Mississippi was the first time he ever voted, and Jimmy was the first man he ever voted for when he ran for governor. Stan distinctly remembers that Jimmy's name appeared on the ballot as James Eldon (Jimmy) Swan, which is contrary to some web sites that have Jimmy's name spelled differently; it should be noted that the online SSDI database indicates Stan's memory is pretty good as it does show his name as James E. Swan.
Stan notes his musical journey came to late to lay claim to having been a member of Jimmy’s band, but as for a lot of the musicians he met around Hattiesburg, the first thing they would say is “I used to play with Jimmy Swan.” If they all did, his band would have been bigger than the Lawrence Welk Orchestra!
By the time Stan first met Jimmy Swan at his Hattiesburg radio station WBKH in the summer of 1966, Jimmy had disbanded his backup group, quit playing the honkytonks, was mostly working in his radio career. He just did the occasional guest appearance at concerts and special events.
Stan was 15 at the time, not singing much yet, but thinking maybe he had a future as a guitarist. With his mother's help, he set up a time with Jimmy one afternoon, and he listened to Stan pick a bit, and told me to keep practicing and improving. Stan felt glad Jimmy saw some possibilities in him, because he couldn’t have been too impressed with that first electric guitar of Stan's. Stan relates was pretty naïve equipment-wise, and had an real cheap electric guitar that required a lot of tuning.
Stan persevered and by 1968 felt he had improved a bit, and was even doing a bit of singing. Jimmy, who still owned a large portion of WBKH, had already run once for Governor the previous year, and was now working at WLAU Radio in Laurel, another Country station managed by another local entertainer, F. M. Smith.
In February, 1968, Rustin’s Grocery just outside Laurel had their grand opening. WLAU did a remote broadcast of the festivies, with many live performers on hand, and some fine backup musicians from the area who had worked with Jimmy Swan and F. M. Smith off and on over the years.

Mr. Anderson was one of many guest artists, and believes this was his first time on a show with Jimmy. Pat Lane of WLAU also performed on the show, and one of the youngest guests was a 10-year-old named Darlene Busby, who did a great job of Hank Locklin’s hit "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On".
Stan recalls when he played with Calvin Prine and the Rebels, there was one show somewhere in Hattiesburg where Jimmy came up and did some singing with their group backing him. Jimmy and Stan were also on the same night at a short-lived radio show called the Gulf Coast Jamboree, held in the Gulfport-Biloxi area.
Also on the Gulf Coast was a concert in a school football field (a fund-raiser, Stan believes) on May 23, 1970. I remember that occasion particularly well because of a music gag Stan had been pulling since Jimmy first ran for Governor in 1967. When Stan sang Folsom Prison Blues that night, he did the second verse as follows:

"e;When I was just a baby, my mama told me, Son,
Always be a good boy, and vote for Jimmy Swan."

Of course, the crowd wasn’t expecting that, and Stan said he heard a huge laugh from the bleachers. Jimmy was talking to someone at the time. He later told me, "I like what you said. I didn’t hear it, but somebody told me about it." I told him I had been pulling that one for awhile, and he said, "Go ahead, pull it, pull it!"
Stan told us the very last show he ever did with Jimmy was the night before the Mississippi Democratic Primary in 1971. He did not sing that night, but there were lots of us who did before he gave his final campaign speech about what he would do if he were elected Governor.
The Sullivan Family contributed some great Gospel singing, and then Stan's band opened the Country portion of the show. Stan's mother, who played bass for his group, even wrote some extra lines for Stan to use in Folsom Prison Blues. It was the only time I would sing the whole verse in this way:

When I was just a baby, my mama told me, “Son,
Always be a good boy, and vote for Jimmy Swan.”
So let’s all get behind him and back him all the way.
He’s a man who’ll fight for what is right
Let’s make it Jimmy’s day.

After that several other bands followed, including one group called the Duck Hillbillies, from the Mississippi town of Duck Hill.
Stan recalls it was everything you see in the movies about Southern political rallies. Live music, fried chicken, speeches from various candidates, the whole nine yards. One of the politicians who spoke that night was Trent Lott, who went on to a distinguished career in both the House and Senate.

Jimmy Swan was the final speaker of the evening. He received a thunderous ovation from the 10,000 plus crowd assembled at Kamper Park that evening. But as in the 1967 gubernatorial race, Jimmy again finished a strong third.
Jimmy never ran for political office after that. He occasionally still did a few public appearances, singing only his own songs and some by his late friend, Hank Williams, Sr.
After Stan moved to Canada, he would still talk on the phone once in a great while with Jimmy. When Stan called to wish him a happy 78th birthday, his singing voice sounded as good as it did in his younger days. He said he had quit smoking three years before.
The last time Stan ever called Jimmy, he, by that time, was married to his second wife, Christine. She was from Jackson, Mississippi and Jimmy said they would spend two weeks at his home in Hattiesburg, and two weeks at her home in Jackson.
From the time of Hank Williams’ death until he retired from radio, Jimmy always did an all-Hank tribute show every January 1. Following the passing of his wife Grace from cancer, and in his 70’s Jimmy married his second wife, Christine.
In 1994, at the age of 82, Jimmy Swan had a heart attack and left this world, mourned by friends, family, broadcasting colleagues, and Country Music fans the world over. Much of his musical legacy is still available on CD, thanks to a label in Germany called Bear Family Records.
Jimmy’s youngest son Randy followed him into music for a short while, but went into broadcasting full time. After years in radio, he became head of the news department at WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg.
He may not have won an election for a political office, but he did leave an impression with the folks that came to know him. Upon Jimmy's death the Hattiesburg American printed a tribute to him entitled “Jimmy Swan&a Hattiesburg Legend.”


Credits & Sources

• Hillbilly-Music.com wishes to thank Stan Anderson, who played with Jimmy Swan in his early years for sharing his memories and recollections of those times; Stan is still playing country music and resides in Canada.
  
• National Hillbilly News; Vol. III No. 1; September/October 1947; Poster Show Print Co.; Huntington, WV
  
• National Hillbilly News; Vol. IV No. 4; March/April 1949; Mr. and Mrs. Orville Via; Huntington, WV
  
• Country Song Roundup; No. 21; December 1952; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
  
• Country Song Roundup; No. 26; October 1953; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
  
• Country Song Roundup; No. 33; July-August 1954; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
  
• Cowboy Songs; No. 38; December 1954; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
  
• Country & Western Jamboree; November 1955; Country & Western Jamboree, Inc.; Chicago, IL
  

Swan, Jimmy



Real name James Edgar Schwann. Born 1912 in Cullman, Ala. Disc jockey on WFOR in 1954. Disc jockey and performer on WBKH in 1956. Died in 1995

References:
Feature article, discography, and sessionography in issue 73 (1997) of American Music Magazine.

Original Releases



Discography is intended to be complete through 1964

Date & Source	Label & Number	V	Titles {& References to LP/CD List}	As By	Matrix Numbers
1952/Aug. 16 Bb c&w rev.	Trumpet 45-176		Juke Joint Mama {c} I Had A Dream {c}	2 2	DRC 45-109 DRC 45-108
1952/Aug. (Bb est.)	Trumpet 45-177		Triflin' On Me {b,c,h} I Love You Too Much	3 3	DRC 45-111 DRC 45-110
1953/Feb. 28 Bb c&w rev.	MGM K11450		The Last Letter {c} The Little Church {c}		53-S-6026 53-S-6027
1953/Sept. 12 Bb c&w rev.	Trumpet 45-197		Losers Weepers {c} Mark Of Shame {c}	1 1	DRC-151 DRC-150
1954/Mar. 13 Bb c&w rev.	Trumpet 45-198		Lonesome Daddy Blues {c} One More Time {c}	3 3	DRC 45-153 DRC 45-152
1955/Dec. 3 Bb c&w rev.	MGM K12136		Frost On My Roof {c} It's Your Turn To Cry {c}	1 1	55-XY-561 55-XY-564
1956/Apr. 21 Bb c&w rev.	MGM K12226		Hey, Baby, Baby {c} Why Did You Change Your Mind {c}	1	55-XY-563 55-XY-562
1956/Oct. 6 Bb c&w rev.	MGM K12348		Country Cattin' {a,c,d,e,f,g} The Way That You're Living (Is Breaking My Heart) {c}	1 1	56-XY-326 56-XY-327
1957/June 10 Bb c&w rev.	MGM K12495		Lonesome Man {c} Good And Lonesome {c}		56-XY-328 56-XY-325
1960/Feb. 8 Bb c&w rev.	Decca 9-31043		No One Loves A Broken Heart {c} Don't Conceal Your Wedding Ring {c}	4 4	108,507+ 108,506
1966 mx series	JB 109		Walkin' My Dog {c} Asleep In The Deep {c}	1	SoN 32672 SoN 32671

Additional Tracks on Comps
1959	Decca unissued		I Love You Too Much It Takes A Lonesome Man		108,505 108,508

References in "As By" Column:

1. as by Jimmy Swan
   
2. as by Jimmy Swan / Cowboy Jim And His Range Riders
   
3. as by Jimmy Swan And His Range Riders
   
4. as by Jimmy Swan And The Sons Of The South
   

Collector-Oriented Compilation LPs and CDs Containing Tracks

	1981
a.	MGM (England) 2354 147 (lp)	MGM Rockabilly Collection, Vol. 2
	1987
b.	Esoldun RR 2009 (lp)	Hillbilly Boogie And Rock-A-Billy
	1993
c.	Bear Family BCD 15758 (cd)	Honky Tonkin' In Mississippi / Jimmy Swan
d.	Big Tone BT 5703 (cd)	MGM Rockabillies, Vol. 1
	1996
e.	Bear Family BCD 15789 (cd)	That'll Flat Git It, Vol. 7
	2006
f.	Bear Family BCD 17022 (cd)	Perfect For Parties
	2007
g.	Proper PROPERBOX 122 (cd)	Classic Rockabilly
	Year Unknown
h.	Zomboco 8 (cd)	Real Rare Rockabilly, Vol. 8