''Jim Reeves Sings'' is the debut
studio album by
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves (August 20, 1923July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville Sound. Known as "Gentleman ...
, released in 1955 by
Abbott Record Co.
It was the singer's only album released by the Abbott record label.
Back in the days, Reeves sang in a loud "hillbilly" style typical of country and western singers of the era.
When Reeves signed with RCA, his new label secured the rights to his "hillbilly-sounding" Abbott masters
and, to the singer's displeasure, used them for his 1956 album ''
Bimbo
Bimbo is slang for a conventionally attractive, sexualized, naive, and unintelligent woman. The term was originally used in the United States as early as 1919 for an unintelligent or brutish man.
As of the early 21st century, the "stereotypic ...
''.
The songs included on both ''Jim Reeves Sings'' and ''Bimbo'' are "Drinking Tequila",
"Where Does a Broken Heart Go", "
Mexican Joe Jose Barrera (1876 – 1949) became famous as Wild West showman "Mexican Joe". Barrera was reportedly born in Monterrey, Mexico in 1876.
In 1897, Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show was the first to hire Jose as a performer. Only fifteen years old at the ...
", "Mother Went A-Walkin'", and "Penny Candy".
In 1982, RCA International released a Europe-only 2-LP compilation of the recordings Reeves' made for the Abbott label. The first volume, titled ''The Abbott Recordings Volume 1'', was practically a repackage of ''Jim Reeves Sings'' with several additional tracks. It also had roughly the same cover and stated that its sleeve notes were "a facsimile of those carried on Jim's first and only album release on Abbott Records in 1954."
History
By the time of the album's release, Jim Reeves had already signed with
RCA Victor.
That was the first ever album issued by
Abbott Record Co. It repackaged some of Reeves' hit recordings for the label, namely the "smash" "
Mexican Joe Jose Barrera (1876 – 1949) became famous as Wild West showman "Mexican Joe". Barrera was reportedly born in Monterrey, Mexico in 1876.
In 1897, Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show was the first to hire Jose as a performer. Only fifteen years old at the ...
" and smaller hits like "Drinking Tequila", "Penny Candy", and "The Wilder Your Heart Beats".
''Billboard'' magazine concluded in its review: "Should have a good sale now that the
c.&w. market is gradually turning to 12-inch LP's."
Track listing
; Side 1
; Side 2
''The Abbott Recordings Volume 1''
; Side 1
; Side 2
* Also, in the 1982 repackage the sixth track on the first side is titled "Shall We Gather at the River (Mother Went A Walkin')", the second track of the second side – "Gypsy Heart", and the fifth track on the second side – "The Wilder Your Heart Beats the Sweeter You Love".
References
{{Authority control
1955 debut albums
Jim Reeves albums
Abbott Records albums