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Jimmie Davis

James Houston Davis (September 11, 1899 – November 5, 2000) was an American singer, songwriter, and Democratic Party politician. After achieving fame for releasing both sacred and popular songs, Davis served as the 47th governor of Louisiana from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964.

Davis was a nationally popular country music and gospel singer from the 1930s into the 1960s, helping country music gain appeal beyond the rural southern U.S. and occasionally recording and performing as late as the early 1990s. His most popular song, a cover of "You Are My Sunshine", was released in 1940 and would become Louisiana's official state song. He appeared as himself in a number of Hollywood movies. He was inducted into six halls of fame, including the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

First elected in 1944, Davis served two non-consecutive terms as governor of Louisiana, during which he implemented the first driver's licensing, public employee pension, and civil service systems in Louisiana and opposed desegregation. At the time of his death in 2000, he was the oldest living former governor as well as the last living governor to have been born in the 19th century.

Birth and Death Data: Born Quitman (village in Jackson Parish, Louisiana, United States), Died November 5, 2000 (Baton Rouge (capital city of Louisiana, United States, and seat of East Baton Rouge Parish) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1972

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, songwriter, lyricist, guitar, yodeling, arranger, speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 756 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D5VB-1035 10-in. 3/17/1945 Columbus stockade blues Vaughn Monroe ; Sons of the Pioneers ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with male vocal group and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2043 10-in. 3/15/1946 Grievin' my heart out for you Sons of the Pioneers Male vocal group, with string band composer  
Victor D7VB-1527 10-in. 8/19/1947 It makes no difference now Eddy Arnold ; Tennessee Plowboys Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Victor D9VB-1296 10-in. 4/14/1949 Shackles and chains Big Hole Bronco Busters ; Montana Slim Male vocal solo, with string band composer  
Columbia W143412 10-in. 2/19/1927 That haunting waltz Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band ; Jimmie Davis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W144721 10-in. 9/30/1927 Up in the clouds Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band ; Jimmie Davis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W144722 10-in. 9/30/1927 Romance Isle Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band ; Jimmie Davis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W144724 10-in. 9/30/1927 Lonely nights in Hawaii Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band ; Jimmie Davis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W146457 10-in. 6/19/1928 Hiding in the corner of your smile Cole McElroy's Spanish Ball Room Band Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W147558 10-in. 12/4/1928 Nobody's business Jimmie Davis Male vocal solo, with yodeling and guitar vocalist, yodeling  
Columbia W147559 10-in. 12/4/1928 Out of town blues Jimmie Davis Male vocal solo, with yodeling and guitar vocalist, yodeling  
Columbia W151962 10-in. 10/27/1931 Arkansas sweetheart Herb Cook Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Columbia H315 10-in. 6/18/1941 You are my sunshine Gene Autry Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia H316 10-in. 6/18/1941 It makes no difference now Gene Autry Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia H599 10-in. 12/13/1941 Sweethearts or strangers Gene Autry Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia DAL780 10-in. 6/12/1939 Two more years (and I'll be free) Alley Cats ; Shelly Lee Alley String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia C812 10-in. 11/8/1934 Round-up time in Heaven Westerners (Massey Family) String band composer, lyricist  
Columbia DAL827 10-in. 6/15/1939 Two more years (and I'll be free) Light Crust Doughboys String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia C839 10-in. 11/14/1934 I wonder if she's blue Westerners (Massey Family) String band with vocal composer, lyricist  
Columbia DAL1170 10-in. 2/24/1941 New worried mind Texas Playboys ; Bob Wills Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Columbia DAL1367 10-in. 3/18/1941 You are my sunshine Ocie Stockard ; Wanderers String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia HCO1865 10-in. 6/4/1946 When it's round-up time in heaven Gene Autry Male vocal solo, with string band composer, lyricist  
Columbia C2144 10-in. 2/28/1938 By the grave of nobody's darling (My darling's promise) Girls of the Golden West Female vocal duet, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Columbia WC2862 10-in. 1/17/1940 You are my sunshine Bob Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes Female-male vocal duet, with string band songwriter  
Columbia WC3087 10-in. 6/11/1940 Old timer Massey Family ; Curt Massey String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
(Results 101-125 of 756 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Davis, Jimmie," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105055.

Davis, Jimmie. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105055.

"Davis, Jimmie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105055

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