Image Source: Wikipedia

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 176-200 of 756 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 61834 10-in. 2/18/1937 I wonder who's kissing her now Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 61835 10-in. 2/18/1937 Pi rootin' around Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 61871 10-in. 2/19/1937 High geared Daddy Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 61872 10-in. 2/19/1937 Honky tonk blues Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62688 10-in. 10/17/1937 Nobody's darling but mine Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62689 10-in. 10/17/1937 One, two, three, four Jimmie Davis vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 62690 10-in. 10/17/1937 Have you ever been to heaven Jimmie Davis vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 62691 10-in. 10/17/1937 The greatest mistake in my life Jimmie Davis vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 62992 10-in. 12/9/1937 Please be good to me Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62993 10-in. 12/9/1937 By the grave of nobody's darling Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62994 10-in. 12/9/1937 Shackles and chains Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62995 10-in. 12/9/1937 Call me back pal o' mine Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62996 10-in. 12/9/1937 Just a girl that men forget Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62997 10-in. 12/9/1937 All alone in this world Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62998 10-in. 12/10/1937 I think I'll turn your damper down Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 62999 10-in. 12/10/1937 Goodbye old booze Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 63000 10-in. 12/10/1937 My Mama told me Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 63001 10-in. 12/10/1937 You're as welcome as the flowers in May Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 63002 10-in. 12/10/1937 I saw your face in the moon Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 63005 10-in. 12/10/1937 I love everything you do Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 63006 10-in. 12/10/1937 Hard hearted Mama Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 63102 10-in. 12/16/1937 There's a gold mine in the sky Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 64562 10-in. 9/21/1938 Nobody's lonesome for me Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 64563 10-in. 9/21/1938 Meet me tonight in dreamland Jimmie Davis vocalist  
Decca 64564 10-in. 9/21/1938 There's a ranch in the Rockies Jimmie Davis vocalist  
(Results 176-200 of 756 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Davis, Jimmie," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105055.

Davis, Jimmie. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105055.

"Davis, Jimmie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.