- Arkie Shibley
Infobox musical artist
Name = Arkie Shibley
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Jesse Lee Shibley
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Born = birth date|1914|9|21|mf=y Van Buren,Arkansas , U.S.
Died = September, 1975 (aged 60) Van Buren,Arkansas , U.S.
Instrument = Vocals,Guitar
Genre =Western swing
Occupation =Musician
Years_active = 1950s
Label = 4 Star (Gilt-Edge)
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URL =Jesse Lee "Arkie" Shibley (b. Jesse Lee Shibley, 21 September 1914,
Van Buren, Arkansas - d. September 1975, Van Buren, Arkansas) was a country singer who recorded the original version of "Hot Rod Race " in 1950. The record was important because "it introduced automobile racing into popular music and underscored the car's relevance to American culture, particularly youth culture." [cite book
first=
last=
authorlink=
coauthors= Jim Dawson & Steve Propes
year= 1992
title= What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record
edition=
publisher= Faber & Faber
location= Boston & London
id=ISBN 0-571-12939-0 ]Shibley had relocated from Arkansas - hence the nickname "Arkie" - and, around 1948, began hosting a regular country music show on radio station KBRG in
Bremerton, Washington .Although the writing credit for "Hot Rod Race" is given to George Wilson, this may be Shibley's pseudonym. He offered the song to
4 Star Records inLos Angeles , but was turned down, and Shibley decided to release the song on his own Mountain Dew label. The record was credited to "Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys", the line-up being Shibley on rhythm guitar, Leon Kelley on lead guitar, Jackie Hayes on bass and banjo, and Phil Fregon on fiddle.The record became popular and was reissued on 4 Star's Gilt Edge imprint. Shibley's record raced into the country charts in January 1951, peaking at # 5, with cover versions on major labels by Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan on Capitol, Red Foley on Decca and Tiny Hill on Mercury. The Hill version also crossed over to the pop charts (# 29).
In 1951 Shibley recorded four sequels to his hit, all performed in a Woody Guthrie-like talking blues style: "Hot Rod Race # 2", "Arkie Meets the Judge (Hot Rod Race # 3)", "The Guy in the Mercury (Hot Rod Race # 4)" and "The Kid in the Model A (Hot Rod Race # 5)". He subsequently disappeared into obscurity.
There were later countless variations of the song, the most successful being "Hot Rod Lincoln", a hit for Charlie Ryan (recorded 1959, charted 1960, # 33 pop), Johnny Bond (1960, # 26 pop) and
Commander Cody (1972, # 9 pop). Shibley's record also directly influencedChuck Berry 's "Maybellene ",Gene Vincent 's "Race With The Devil", and the succession of hot rod records bythe Beach Boys and others in the early 1960s.References
External links
* [http://www.rockabillyeurope.com/references/messages/arkie_shibley.htm More information]
* [http://www.rockabillyhall.com/HotRodLncln1.html History of hot rod songs]
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