Jimmy Donley (August 17, 1929 – March 20, 1963) was an American singer-songwriter. James Kenneth Donley, a native of

Gulfport, Mississippi Gulfport is the second-largest city in Mississippi after the state capital, Jackson. Along with Biloxi, Gulfport is the co-county seat of Harrison County and the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolit ...

, began his musical career playing in local bars. He served briefly in the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

before being discharged on psychological grounds, then revived his musical career. Donley wrote many songs, such as "Born To Be A Loser", that went on to be hits by other artists, including

Fats Domino Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer and songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New O ...

and

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as " rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis ma ...

.Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
– accessed September 2010 Some of his songs were credited to Rev. J. Charles Jessup, a preacher to whom Donley sold the rights to his output.Jimmy Donley: A 'Born Loser' Finally Gets His Due
by Ed Ward on

Fresh Air ''Fresh Air'' is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States since 1985. It is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show's host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to ...

Married six times, and prone to bouts of both heavy drinking and domestic violence, Donley saw his musical career decline in the early 1960s. At the age of 33, he committed suicide, by asphyxiating himself with his car's exhaust fumes. At the time of his death, he was married to Lillie Mae Ugas Donley, who has since died. They are laid to rest next to each other in Saucier, Mississippi.

References

External links

Rockabillyhal.com
* 1929 births 1963 suicides 1963 deaths People from Gulfport, Mississippi American male singer-songwriters Swamp pop music Tear Drop Records artists Chess Records artists Charly Records artists Decca Records artists Suicides in Mississippi 20th-century American singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Mississippi Suicides by asphyxiation United States Army soldiers 20th-century American male singers {{US-singer-songwriter-stub