Jimmie Rodgers Foundation

“The Father of Country Music”

Do you know whose guitar is the most valuable in the world estimated to be worth $2 million? The answer is Jimmie Rodgers. Did you know who was the very first person inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Also, Jimmie Rodgers. Jimmie was a crossover artist and was in many different Halls of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame, Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame. The Jimmie Rodgers Foundation, Festival, and Museum, tell the story of Jimmie Rodgers, the influence he had on the music industry, and the legacy he left behind.

Born in 1897 in Meridian, MS, Jimmie Rodgers was the son of a railroad section foreman but was always attracted to show business. At thirteen, he won an amateur talent contest and ran away with a traveling medicine show. Stranded far from home, he was retrieved by his father and put to work on the railroad. For a dozen years or so, he worked many jobs on the railroad, always polishing his musical skills and looking for a chance to perform. After developing tuberculosis in 1924, he quit the railroad and began to devote full attention to his music. In 1927, he began to gain some success with his first record release of ‘Sleep, Baby, Sleep’, and “The Soldier’s Sweetheart”. His first big hit was the immortal ‘T for Texas’, and he was on the way to national stardom.   

Some of his following hits were “Waiting for a Train”, “In the Jailhouse Now”, “Frankie and Johnny”, and “T. B. Blues”. Best known for his distinctive, rhythmic yodeling, Jimmie achieved musical success. From many diverse elements – the traditional melodies and folk music of his southern upbringing, early jazz, stage show yodeling, the work chants of railroad section crews and, most importantly, African-American blues – Rodgers evolved a lasting musical style which made him immensely popular in his own time and a major influence on later generations of music artists.

Rodgers, sometimes called “The Blue Yodeler”, worked with many established performers of that time including Louis Armstrong, the Carter Family and he toured with Will Rogers, who jokingly referred to him as his son. He influenced many of today’s artists like Hank Snow, Bob Dylan, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although he made records for only six years, he recorded more than 100 songs before dying from tuberculosis in 1933.

The Jimmie Rodgers Museum was founded in 1976 by his fans. The organization, museum and festival, has been solely run by board members and volunteers for a number of years. It is a drawing card for visitors from near and far, making Meridian known worldwide because of his legacy. “In a span of only two weeks, 50 visitors came to the museum from out of town. They come into our city to learn more about Jimmie Rodgers and his birthplace. Every day that the museum is open, it’s neat to see the visitors and share in their experience. Some come in with their instruments and play music because they feel the connection”, says Leslie Lee, Executive Director.

“Being a chamber member gives the museum wider exposure. Membership allows us to have special events advertised through their website which spotlights the museum. It’s a great way to let people know we are here. Chamber members can collaborate and work together for the betterment of each business and the betterment of the community.”

The Jimmie Rodgers Festival has a very rich history. It is touted as the longest running festival in the U.S. It originated in 1953 by Ernest Tubbs and Hank Snow, who started the festival as a memorial tribute to Jimmie Rodgers. Elvis entered the talent competition in 1953 and came back to headline the festival in 1954. Merle Haggard, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty, and Garth Brooks are some of the headliners who played at the festival. The great thing about the festival is when it started, all of these people came here to play for free. They wanted to because of the legacy of Jimmie Rodgers, who sang his way into the hearts of Mississippians and many others.

Jimmie Rodgers Foundation – 2118 Front Street, Meridian, MS

Open Thursday and Friday 11-4, Saturday 10-2

Private tours available by appointment – call 601-938-7427