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January 5, 2018
This holiday season, I thought you might enjoy a story about jam sessions I had with a true legend in Louisiana politics and a member of the country music hall of fame.
James Houston, “Jimmy Davis”, rose from poverty to college graduate; teacher; recording, radio and movie star; Shreveport Police Commissioner; Public Service Commissioner and two-term Louisiana Governor, (1944-1948, WWII battles and 1960-1964, Civil rights battles.) He ran again, unsuccessfully, in 1959.
His musical and political life is well known, so following are some of the personal encounters we had.
Jimmy had a camp on Grand Isle he often visited. Once at Leonard Autin’s grocery store in Golden Meadow, he met a young musician, Harrison Anselmi, who was so shy that when asked to sing, he did so, but behind a door, heard but not seen.
Jimmy liked him and in the ensuing years, often invited him to his camp. By that time, Harry and I were playing with “Dudley Bernard and the Southern Serenaders”.
Harry described his experiences to me. “I would play guitar as he sang for about an hour, heard only by two cooks preparing a meal for friends Jimmy had invited. We performed again that evening, this time to a larger audience.”
Harry told me Jimmy liked Gene Autry songs. (Leroy’s notes: Him and Gene had both recorded for A.R.C. records in 1928, both managed by Art Slatery, both Jimmie Rodgers imitators, with yodels and all.)
“Gene’s company, Republic, is making a movie of my life, me playing me. I leave for Hollywood next week,” Jimmy told him. The movie was “Louisiana”, and seeing him act, I’m sure he was advised to not quite his day job.
Jimmy called Harry a few more times, and I was invited twice. Now Jimmy sang with a 2-guitar backup, the “Jimmy Davis Band” that no one knew about … until now.
By 1969, Doc Guidry, the great Cajun fiddler had joined “Vin Bruce and the Acadians”. Doc had played music for Jimmy Davis in his campaigns in 1944, 1960 and 1968 and were friends.
Our band was asked to play a charity concert at South Lafourche High School auditorium. There were other bands, but Doc said, “We need a headliner, and I can get Jimmy Davis.”
Sarcastically I asked, “Doc, why don’t you ask Hank Williams?”
He bluntly replied, “Well, No. 1, he’s dead, and No. 2, if asked, he’ll come. He’s going to announce for Governor and needs the publicity. No charge.”
Doc asked, and Jimmy came. He brought, at his cost, the original “Oak Ridge Boys”, who were years away from their hit “Elvira”. One of them whispered to me “you boys watch closely because he sometimes misses his time.”
I knew that from the camp, but one of the greatest country singers of all times, and he couldn’t keep time. The benefit was a hit and the house was packed.
I first met him face to face at the Jimmie Rodgers Memorial day celebration in Meridian, Mississippi on May 26, 1953, which I delailed in another column. He was a guest of honor as one of the great country mu sic artist since 1927. The Hall of Fame was not established yet but he would be enrolled as one of the early members, mostly for his great hits as “You Are My Sunshine’, “Be Honest with Me” and “Mary” and his friendship with Jimmie Rodgers which he imitated for years until he established himself as a true star. In meridian he got off the elevator as Hal Benson, Johnny Schouest and I got on.. He looked at me and said, out of a clear blue sky, “I see crawfish in your eyes….you’re from Louisiana.” We were amazed and had a nice chat with him.
He lived to over 100 years old, and sang right up to it. A brilliant man, he was as soft spoken as a next door neighbor
When he was Govenor (1944-1948 and 1960-1964) Jimmy was accused of paving the road to Grand Isle to better access his camp. We did not care! We had a great highway to the Tarpon Rodeo, juke joints, girls in bikinis and the beach. What wonderful memories!
This week, Mr. Leroy Martin tells a holiday story of the times he played music with a former two-term Louisiana Governor. As-always, the wit in the story makes it worth the quick read.
