Jim & Jesse - Biography
By J Poet
The McReynolds brothers, Jim & Jesse, had one of the longest careers in bluegrass, albeit with one successful side trip into mainstream country music. Jesse McReynolds was one of the most innovative mandolin pickers in the biz and developed a split-string technique; by plucking only one string on the pair of mandolin strings he was able to increase his improvisational options. They started their own label, Old Dominion, in the 70s and also recorded for Capitol, Epic and Opryland. Jim passed on in 2002, leaving Jesse to carry on fronting the Virginia Boys & Girls.
Jim & Jesse were born in Carfax, Virginia. Their grandfather, fiddler Charlie McReynolds was a member of the Bull Mountain Moonshiners, one of the first country artists to ever record; they took part in RCA’s legendary Bristol sessions in 1927. The brothers grew up playing music and earned extra money as teens playing barn dances and social events. They didn’t turn pro until Jim got out of the Army in 1946.
In 1947, as a duo, they landed a 15-minute radio show on WNVA in Norton, VA. They moved from station to station in the south, and recruited second guitarist and singer Larry Roll to form The Virginia Trio. They were signed by Capitol, and while none of their singles hit big, their song “Are You Missing Me?” became a crowd favorite and is today a bluegrass classic. Some of their early singles are collected on First Sounds: The Capitol Years (2002 Capitol.) They were the first records Jesse made using his split string technique.
Shortly after their first sessions, Jesse was drafted for the Korean War. After his tour of duty he joined his brother, who was a regular on the Tennessee Barn Dance at WNOX in Knoxville, TN. They started the first version of the Virginia Boys with Vassar Clements on fiddle and an electric bass player. They toured, cut a few more singles, this time for Starday and hosted several radio shows including the Martha White and Fortune Feed programs on WBAM in Montgomery, AL. The Starday sides were released on the LP Bluegrass Special (1963 Starday) and reissued in 2003 as Dixie Hoedown.
In 1961 they signed with Epic and in 1964, became regulars on Grand Ole Opry. Their albums included The Old Country Church (1964 Epic), Berry Pickin' in the Country (1965 Epic), an album of Chuck Berry songs done bluegrass style, Diesel on My Trail (1967 Epic), a straight country album with the truck drivin’ hits “Girl on the Billboard,” and the title track, All-Time Great Country Instrumentals (1968 Epic), and Jim & Jesse Saluting the Louvin Brothers (1969 Epic) marked by their spine chilling harmonies. In 1969, Jesse was tapped by The Doors to contribute mandolin to their Soft Parade (1969 Elektra) album.
In 1972, the brothers started their Old Dominion label and for the next decade, they recorded their own albums at their own pace. The Old Dominion Masters (1999 Pinecastle) gives you the 177 sides they made for that label on four CDs. It includes the entire Live In Japan concert from their 1976 Jim and Jesse Show live CD.
Although their days as stars were over, The Jim and Jesse Show stayed on the road and kept making excellent albums like In the Tradition (1987 Rounder), Music Among Friends (1991Rounder), which celebrated their 25th year in the biz with guests Bill Monroe, Emmylou Harris, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Scaggs, and Mac Wiseman, Songs From the Homeplace (1998 Pinecastle), a collection of early country hits, Our Kind of Country (2001 Pinecastle), bluegrass interpretations of 60s country hits including “Heartaches by the Number,” and American Pride (2002 Pinecastle.) They’d just finished recording the ironically titled Tis Sweet to Be Remembered (2003 Pinecastle) when Jim died of cancer. Jesse continues on fronting his band the Virginia Boys & Girls.
There are dozens of good Jim & Jesse compilations and best ofs on the racks including Y'All Come: The Essential Jim & Jesse (1998 Columbia) a 20 tune collection of hits, The Jim & Jesse Story: 24 Greatest Hits (2007 CMH), Bluegrass and More (1993 Bear Family Germany) an in depth overview with 182 songs on five CDs, and Epic Bluegrass Hits (1994 Rounder) a collection of country and bluegrass hits from their Epic years.