NEW JIM AND JESSE CD ANNOUNCED FROM RURAL RHYTHM

JESSE McREYNOLDS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS

AS A MEMBER OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY ®

Jim & Jesse Radio Shows album reaches #1 on AirPlay Direct

 

Nashville, TN (February 27, 2014) – Inducted in 1964, Bluegrass legends Jim & Jesse are celebrating 50 Years as members of the GRAND OLE OPRY this year.  On March 1st the Grand Ole Opry® will honor Jesse McReyonlds as he celebrates his 50th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry®.  The success of their 60’s radio shows prompted Martha White Flour to bring them to Nashville to star on their early morning show on WSM.  In 1964 a life time dream came true for Jim & Jesse when they became regular members of the Grand Ole Opry®. 

Deep in the mountains of southwest Virginia still stands the white aging farmhouse Jim & Jesse first called home. Raised in the small community of Carfax, located near Coeburn, VA, the boys grew up in a family steeped in traditional mountain music.  Their harmony was exceptional, a rarity some say only brothers can produce. Jim's enhanced high tenor combined with Jesse's deep lead and unique mandolin style set this duo apart in the world of traditional music, now termed Bluegrass.

The year 2002 was a difficult one for Jim and Jesse. Jim was diagnosed with cancer and passed away on December 31, 2002.  His death ended the longest active professional brother duet in country music history - 55 years.
Jesse has carried on the Jim & Jesse tradition and has since gone on to play throughout the world with the Virginia Boys. And the beautiful music that originated from the brothers in the mountains of southwest Virginia back in 1947 is as timeless as ever.

The Jim & Jesse tradition continues to grow in 2014 with the release of the album RADIO SHOWS which is currently #1 on both the AirPlay Direct Global Radio Indicator Charts for “Top 50 Albums” and the “Top 50 Bluegrass Albums for the month of February.

Originally released in 1978 as a 2 record set on the Old Dominion label, RADIO SHOWS will be available for the first time on CD and digital formats on March 4th.  RADIO SHOWS was recorded in 1962 and contained mainly songs never before recorded by Jim & Jesse and The Virginia Boys, and were selected because of the heavy requests for them on their radio shows.

Rural Rhythm will be making these albums available for Jim & Jesse fans to enjoy again and bring their music to a whole new generation of Bluegrass & Country music fans.

ROGER'S NOTE: Thanks to my Nashville kids I have about 10 CDs of Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys. Their music is timeless and they have been one of the most influential groups in the tradition of bluegrass worldwide. This RADIO SHOWS CD would be great to have for any fan of bluegrass music.