Back in the Day, 1967

Jimmy Gateley

"Don't Come Cryin' to Me" b/w "It Tears My Heart Out"

(Decca)

Exhaustive enumeration of fiddler/singer/guitarist/songsmith Jimmy's big name, Classic Country credits would defy present space constraints. Red Foley, Harold Morrison, and Connie Smith are three. Bill Anderson is four. Gateley joined with the Nudie-spangled "Whisperer," appearing on hits like "Bright Lights and Country Music" (which Gateley co-wrote with Anderson), and also leading the star's band on the Opry stage for 13 years. 

Jimmy and Bill perform "Bright Lights" in 1966 budget film "Las Vegas Hillbillys," which starred Ferlin Husky, Mamie Van Doren, and Don Bowman. Other performers shown included Roy Drusky, Sonny James, Del Reeves, and Wilma Burgess.

"Jimmy was the only band member I ever hired who was older than me, and I learned so much from him," Anderson wrote on the Ask Bill page of his website, in 2021. "He had been a cast member on the Red Foley Ozark Jubilee TV shows before moving to Nashville, and he was so much wiser about the ins-and-outs of the music business than I was. I wore him out asking questions, but in his calm, understated way he graciously (and often humorously) answered them all."

"Don't Come Cryin' to Me" offers the steel-fueled bounce, impeccable background harmonies, and hard-knocks testimony that has long endeared Classic Country to millions the world over. Its sadder-but-wiser protagonist is one with whom real folks can identify. In its brevity, its spartanness, the song imprints soundly.

Flip "It Tears My Heart Out" downshifts, favoring lowercase demonstrativeness. Players assembled accomodate with tuneful tastefulness. Foamy suds assume distinctiveness, when salty tears take swims.

Among songs Gateleyy penned for others was "The Minute You're Gone From Me," which landed Sonny James on charts.

In later years, Jimmy turned eyes upward, became Deacon of a Tennessee church, and recorded Gospel. A heart condition claimed him in 1985. He was but 53.

"He was a great guy, extremely talented, and hardly a day goes by that I don’t remember something he said or did and it always makes me smile," Bill wrote.

Videos: "Don't Come Cryin' to Me"   "It Tears My Heart Out"

Discogs

Country Music Hall of Fame

The Rock and Country Encyclopedia and Discography

Skeets McDonald

Rock It, But Don't Wreck It: Singles As and Bs 1956 - 1962

(Jasmine)

It's to be expected that a 'best of' collection of works forged by a man whose career loped through decades would number many tracks. And that such would attest to his prowess.

Those who termed Skeets a "bridge between Country and Rock'n'Roll" were solidly in the money. While the rustic gut-box great generally ambled down Honky Tonk backroads, his open face and unpretentious bearing marking him as just plain home-folks, he sporadically busted out with het-up foot-stampers easily the equals of feral tunes being thrown out by incoming cats.

Some tracks were put to tape at Owen Bradley's historic 'Quonset Hut.' Among those accompanying Skeets in imbuing common-man life-spark into songs of unpolished excellence were Buddy Harmon, the Jordanaires, Grady Martin, and Floyd Cramer. (Two Rockabilly ravers - "Heartbreakin' Mama" and "You Oughtta See Grandma Rock" were lent the distinction of Eddie Cochran's fret-rushings.)

When Skeets sang of heart-soreness enflamed by bouffanted, good-time angels, it was with a drawled profundity that communicated he'd worn those brogans, and had weathered the torture mascaraed jezebels wreak.

(It may be so, that answers to life's abuses aren't found at the bottom of a bottle. But a legion of songs so real they damn near tear you all to hell reside exactly there.)

Bill Anderson later sang that "Honky tonks were made for men with women on their minds." It's certain that jukes in those much-prized dives were stocked with Skeets.

Recommended: "Gotta Get You From That Crowd," "Everglades," "Cheek to Cheek with the Blues," "You're Not Wicked, You're Just Weak," "You Warned Me," "What a Lonesome Life It's Been," "Baby Wait," "What I Know About Her," "Welcome Home," "Keep Her Off Your Mind," "Don't Push Me Too Far," "You Gotta Be My Baby," Heartbreakin' Mama," "You Oughtta See Grandma Rock" 

Videos: "Gotta Get You From That Crowd"  "Cheek to Cheek with the Blues"    "Baby Wait"   "Keep Her Off Your Mind"   "Heartbreakin' Mama"   "You Oughtta See Grandma Rock"

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