Jim Reeves, Nashville Country Star, Was 40

 

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MUSIC BUSINESS — (08/15/1964) — Music City was shocked and stunned and joined its grief with much of the rest of the world over the tragic deaths here of world-famous country music singer Jim Reeves and his piano player-road manager, Dean Manuel, when their private plane crashed during a thunderstorm late Friday (July 31) afternoon.

The crash occurred in a densely-wooded area a few miles south of Nashville and only five miles from their airport destination. The body of Reeves, identified by his billfold, was found some 20 feet from the crash site but that of Manuel was still in the plane’s cabin. Eddy Arnold, national country music star, was on the scene with State Highway Inspector J. J. Jackson. There was only slight evidence of fire and death is presumed to have resulted instantly from the violent impact of the plane with the surrounding wooded terrain.

Massive Search

Although the crash occurred late Friday afternoon, the plane’s wreckage was not found until Sunday morning despite a massive search over a 20 square mile area by a small army of volunteers including many of the victims’ Grand Ole Opry colleagues. They were aided by civil defense teams, Tennessee National Guard helicopters and private planes. The heavy shrubbery, however, prevented the wreckage’s beings potted from the air and not until civil defense workers had combed the area on foot was the plane’s debris discovered.

The area covered by the search is one in which many Grand Ole Opry stars in recent years have built sumptuous homes with extensive acre-ages. Among the nearby residents are such Opry luminaries as Marty Robbins who reported to police that he had heard a plane’s engine sputtering and seemingly in trouble during the thunderstorm.

Also living nearby are Eddy Arnold who scoured the countryside in a jeep assisting in the hunt, Carl Smith who brought riding horses to the site and arranged with neighbors to bring other mounts to penetrate the closes shrubbery; Minnie Pearl, Stonewall Jackson, and Marijohn Wilkin.

The searching party was also swollen by dozens of other volunteers helmed by deejays, plus record company execs and station managers. Airport officials said their last radio contact with Reeves was when he reported he had run into a heavy rain. Almost immediately afterwards the plane disappeared from the radar screen.

Police Issue Pleas

The crowds which thronged the roads leading to the general area of the crash even before the bodies had been found, were so huge that police issued several pleas by radio asking motorists to avoid the area so as not to hamper the search.

When found, the twisted steel of the engine and the splintered cabin indicated that the plane had hit the ground with great impact and that its occupants apparently had died instantly.

Reeves and Manuel were returning from Arkansas where they had been negotiating a real estate transaction.

As word spread of the finding of the bodies, calls and telegrams bearing condolences began arriving from all parts of the world. As the trade well knows, Reeves was one of those performers who successfully bridged the gap between country and pop.

“As far as I know myself, I haven’t changed style at all,” Reeves said recently. “I’m doing exactly the same thing I did seven or eight years ago. I sing ballads and I don’t know whether you can put them in any particular category.”

Records, TV, Movies 

The multi faceted Reeves found expression in other ways. Starting as a recording star, he moved to TV, to personal appearances and to the movies. Only last year he starred in a movie, “Kimberly Jim,” made in South Africa, and had entered negotiations for a second movie later this year.

As a recording artist, Reeves remains in the very top rank. Currently on national charts are three, big Reeves records – a single, “I Guess I’m Crazy,”and two albums, “Moonlight and Roses” and “The Best of Jim Reeves.” At one time Reeves had his own ABC network radio program, the Jim Reeves Show. In 1959, he was a summer replacement for Red Foley on the Ozark Jubilee.

Started As Youth

Reeves was born in Panola County, Texas, and acquired a broken down guitar at the age of 10 in exchange for a basket of pears. Entering the University of Texas, Reeves became a top pitcher on the University baseball team which led to his being signed with the St. Louis Cardinals farm system. A leg injury, however, ended his baseball career and he turned to his guitar and a musical vocation.

Reeves’ first big record came in 1953 when he recorded “Mexican Joe” on the Fabor label and sales soared to over 1,000,000. This in turn led to his being signed by Steve Sholes to an RCA-Victor contract in March, 1955. Under the deal, RCA bought all of Reeves’ masters from Fabor Robinson of Fabor Records which insures the entire recording career of Jim Reeves on RCA-Victor. END

Joint Services Held

MUSIC BUSINESS — (08/15/1964) — Joint memorial services for both Jim Reeves and Dean Manuel, killed in an airplane crash in Nashville last weekend, were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday (August 4) at the Phillips-Robinson Funeral Home here (Nashville). Reeves was buried the following day at Carthage, Texas; and Manuel was buried also the next day in Springhill Cemetery, Nashville.

The families of both Reeves and Manuel requested that, instead of sending flowers, friends make gifts to charities.

Reeves is survived by his widow, Mary; his mother, Mrs. Beulah Reeves of De Berry, Texas; two brothers. Buford Reeves of Dallas, Texas; and Manuel leaves his widow, Barbara (Bobbie); two daughters, Brenda and Laura Manuel; parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.D. Manuel of Planada, Calif.; a sister, Mrs. Laura Silva of Merced, Calif. and a brother, Orion Manuel of San Francisco. END

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Information, credit and news source: Music Business; August 15, 1964