Born 127 Years Ago Today, the Two-Time Louisiana Governor Who Dominated the Country Charts in the 1940s

On this day (September 11) in 1899, Jimmie Davis was born in Quitman, Louisiana. He gained fame as a country singer, launching a string of hits in the 1930s and ’40s. More importantly, he helped popularize country music outside of the rural South. Davis also served two terms as the governor of Louisiana. He first won the office in 1944, when he was still actively recording. Then, he won the seat again in 1960.

Davis’ music career began at the Louisiana College in Pineville. He sang in the glee club and was a member of a quartet called the Wildcat Four. Later, he moved to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he sang in the glee club and another quartet, the Tiger Four. He also sang on the street while in college. After he graduated, he began regularly performing on KWKH, a Shreveport-based radio station.

In the late 1920s, Davis briefly taught history and yodeling at the Dodd College for Girls. Then, he became a court clerk. He remained in this role, which helped him enter the world of politics, for more than a decade. While working for the Shreveport Criminal Court, he signed a deal with the Victor Talking Machine Company. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he recorded nearly 70 songs for the label between 1929 and 1933. Those recordings included raunchy blues numbers like “Organ Grinder’s Blues” and “Tom Cat and Pussy Blues.”

Jimmie Davis Steps into the Sunshine

Jimmie Davis didn’t find success as a recording artist until he signed with Decca Records in 1934. “Nobody’s Darling but Mine,” his first single with the label, became his first hit. In 1938, he began a four-year stint as the public safety commissioner of Shreveport. A year later, he went to No. 1 with “It Makes No Difference Now” and “Two More Years (and I’ll Be Free).” Additionally, “Memories” and “The Last Trip of the Old Ship” peaked at No. 5 and No. 2, respectively.

In 1940, Davis purchased the copyright for “You Are My Sunshine” from Paul Price and released it as a single. The song was a huge hit and inspired covers from some of the biggest artists of the day. Four years later, the popularity of the song helped him win the governor’s seat.

His time in office didn’t slow his recording career. Davis notched several hits during his first term as Louisiana’s governor. Notably, he topped the chart with “There’s a New Moon Over My Shoulder” in 1945.

While in office, Davis left Louisiana for Hollywood several times to appear in movies. Cyclone Prairie Rangers premiered in November 1944. The biopic Louisiana, starring Davis as himself, premiered in November 1947. It is also likely that he left the governor’s mansion to film the musical Mississippi Rhythm, which premiered in May 1949.

Second Gubernatorial Term

After his first term ended, Davis became a full-time singer. He found that songs like “Suppertime,” which was a hit in the early 1950s, appealed to gospel listeners. As a result, he began recording and releasing sacred songs.

In 1959, he ran for governor again. His pro-segregation stance helped him win his second term. During his second term, which ran from 1960 to 1964, he notched a hit with “Where the Old Red River Flows.”

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Jimmie Davis tried to win a third term in 1971, but lost the race. The next year, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He continued to record and perform into the 1990s.

When asked how he wanted to be remembered, he said, “As someone who scattered a little sunshine along his path.” He died at the age of 101 on November 6, 2000.

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