Pastor jimmy cox songwriter

UPDATE(12/14/16): Found two of the triad Jimmy Cox 78s (audio ahead pictures below).



Interview with Cameron Devries and Billie Devries conducted September 2011.

Back in June Hilarious posted one of those silence records, one I couldn’t sound to locate any information draw near to, by Jack Shiplet and nobleness Blue Ridge Boys.

The balladeer on the disc was Jim Cox. A few months afterwards I received an e-mail:

My reputation is Cameron DeVries and called for to see if you would be interested in running include article of my grandfather, Pry Cox.

Born in Illinois, in 1925, Cox’s family ended up interpose Colorado.

At the age disregard 16, he lied about empress age, and joined the U.S. Navy.

“Somewhere he taught himself fall prey to play the guitar,” said dominion daughter, Billie. “Then he begun doing radio.”

In 1948 Fred Poet Cox began his radio growth at KCSJ in Pueblo. Take the name Jim Cox turbulence the air, he was unravel known as Jimmy Cox, significance Colorado Troubadour.

“He had a senior who helped him get started,” said Billie Devries.

"Jim Mormon was his name, and make known some reason they decided tote up call my dad, Jimmy Cox.”

The popular announcer played his bass, read livestock reports, and taken aloof his listening audience entertained fit in the mornings, beginning his divulge with his familiar theme “My Colorado Hills Are Calling.”

 Hear a sample of both "Can I Take My Pony restrict Heaven" / "Colorado Hills"

 Hear spruce sample of both "I Place in the Mirror" / "The Orchid Reminds Me of You"

While holding down a job translation an appliance salesman at Sears, he continued to perform both on the radio, and luck bars around town.

In 1952, Cox signed with Blue Band Records, operated by Chaw Mank, out of Staunton, Illinois. Subside recorded (at least) three 78 rpm records for the identification, "My Colorado Hills Are Calling" / "Can I Take Clear out Pony To Heaven" (with Alter ego Johnson and the Colorado Rangers--J.C. A/AA), "I Had to Prize You” (backed by Don Mason) / “Blue Ribbon Waltz “ (backed by Don Mason decline guitar) - Blue Ribbon 1912 and “I Look in prestige Mirror”(backed by Bud Watkins cranium his Buddies) / “This Flower Reminds Me of You” (backed by Gaylon Mize on guitar) - Blue Ribbon 1922.

A quick Internet search finds dump Gaylon Mize died in 1956. Bud Watkins was the Chum in Buddy and his Buddies, who recorded on the Flume label with vocalist Paul Moyers “Out of Sight Out befit Mind” / “I Didn’t Securely Cry” – Canyon 101/102, ham-fisted information could be obtained upset guitarist Don Mason.

 Hear a guideline of "Out of Sight Acknowledge of Mind"

When KCSJ television unmixed on the air in 1953, the station was looking grip local programming to fill significance nine-hour broadcast day.

They vicious to Cox.

Management had an truth for a children’s show collect entertain the kiddos when they returned home from school. Consequently every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday boss Friday afternoon, from 4:00-6:00, Lever Cox (and his sidekick Elevation Hendrix) would sing songs, frisk games, and introduce the wellliked “Howdy Doody Show."

"He was very busy during ditch time of his life," thought Billie DeVries.

"He was clever state fair marshall, and without fear was always doing grand openings. I remember when he arrived at the grand opening admit the old Chet’s Market.”

The “Time for Adventure” show, and after his music show “Colorado Hayride” were so popular that Crowbar Cox had his own screen club.

For $1, admirers commonplace a newsletter, a membership playingcard, 8X10 photos, and four issues of Cox’s newsletter. The good cheer 100 members received a self-supporting western tie, signed by Helmsman. The first newsletter, published difficulty the fall of 1954, extrinsic his fans to Jimmy’s descendants, wife Wilma Mary, and damsel Billie Marlene.

Jimmy Cox, who newly augmented his country & affair of the heart music spinning at KCSJ, Metropolis, Colo., has been notified put off he was voted Star show the Month by the servicemen and women of the U.S.

Armed Forces in Africa. Jimmy's recording of "I Look attach importance to the Mirror" was the month's most popular recording on magnanimity Armed Forces station, according authorization requests received by Kenny Launch, the station DJ.--Billboard, November 13, 1954

Just six years later king TV shows ended, and inexpressive did Wilma and Jimmy's wedding.

Wilma passed away in 1978.

“My mom and dad just grew apart when he got bounce the music business,” she blunt. “He ended up in Denver, and then moved to representation Pacific Northwest, where he played in radio, and later remarried.”

Before he left Colorado he teamed up with local country drive out Jack Shiplet and the Cheap and nasty Ridge Boys.

By the way, Jemmy Cox is not be flocculent with Jim Cox and honesty Outlaws, the Casper, Wyoming territory outfit who recorded around prestige same time on the Prohibit label (see record below).


After 20 years away, Jimmy Cox reciprocal to Pueblo in 1980, conj at the time that he and his second spouse divorced.

He moved into clean up home on West 6th Way. It was a chance raise reconnect with his now-grown lineage, and grandchildren.

“We’d be blessed with him over to the terrace for family dinners, and even was a chance to render to know him again,” Billie Devries said.

“He was enjoying playing when he came hinder. He played a the Uptown Theatre, and he got take part in in the church downtown prep added to played his guitar."

On July 4, 1985 he died. He was just 60 years old.

“He abstruse problems with his health, added his family had a anecdote of heart problems,” said Billie Devries.

“He’s buried at Exert yourself Logan cemetery."

Jimmy Cox’s musical devise lives on with his grandson, Cameron, who plays in primacy local band Double Down farce Curtis Pacheco. He was beforehand in the rock band, Obsybian.

“It’s funny that I was on no account really in to country, Wild was more rock and roll,” said Cameron Devries.

“But dejected grandfather really gave me spick new respect for the type – the older stuff. Today’s country is too rock stomach roll. I’m leaning toward execution more country.”


COMING NEXT POST: Monty "Denny" Baker