Jimmie Rodgers, who had a run of crossover country and pop hits in the 1950s and 1960s, has died. He was 87 years old and died from kidney disease on Jan. 18, and had also been diagnosed with COVID-19, the Associated Press reports.
Born in September of 1933 in the state of Washington, Rodgers had a talent for performing music from an early age, but was drafted into the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Though circumstances had taken him away from pursuing a career in music, Rodgers revealed in a 2016 interview with Utah outlet
The Spectrum that it was during his military days that he realized he wanted to spend his life working in music.
Legendary pop singer Jimmie Rodgers (né James Charles Rodgers) has died. He was 87.
The star died from kidney disease on Jan. 18 and had previously tested positive for COVID-19, per the Associated Press. A rep for Rodgers did not immediately respond to PEOPLE s request for comment.
Born in Washington state on Sept. 8, 1933, he first gained popularity in the 50s and 60s after releasing Billboard hits including Kisses Sweeter Than Wine and his rendition of mega-hit song Honeycomb. Rodgers first developed an interest in music as a young child after he learned from his mom, a piano teacher.
During his time in the U.S. Air Force, Rodgers joined a band called the Melodies but was later transferred to Nashville, where he was stationed at Seward Air Force Base from 1954 to 1956. In Nashville, he competed on Arthur Godfrey s CBS talent show and won $700, a hefty sum at the time. He was signed with Roulette Records soon after and recorded his own version of Honeycomb in 1957. Wr
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He recorded many other top 10 hits during the late 1950s, including Secretly, Oh-Oh, I m Falling in Love Again and Are You Really Mine?
Jimmie Rodgers, singer of the 1957 hits Honeycomb and Kisses Sweeter Than Wine whose career in music and movies was disrupted by a severe head injury a decade later, has died at age 87.
Rodgers died from kidney disease on Jan. 18 in Palm Desert, California, and had also tested positive for COVID-19, publicist Alan Eichler said Saturday, citing family.
Rodgers performed for $10 a night around Nashville while stationed there with the U.S. Air Force after the Korean War. He appeared on a talent show and got an audition with Roulette Records, which signed him after hearing him perform Honeycomb, a song by Bob Merrill.
Jimmie Rodgers, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine Singer, Dead of Kidney Disease at 87 People 1/25/2021
Legendary pop singer Jimmie Rodgers (né James Charles Rodgers) has died. He was 87.
The star died from kidney disease on Jan. 18 and had previously tested positive for COVID-19, PEOPLE confirms. He died in his Palm Desert, California residence.
Born in Washington state on Sept. 8, 1933, he first gained popularity in the 50s and 60s after releasing Billboard hits including Kisses Sweeter Than Wine and his rendition of mega-hit song Honeycomb. Rodgers first developed an interest in music as a young child after he learned from his mom, a piano teacher. He sang in church and taught himself to play the guitar.