Jimmie F. Rodgers - where is he?

Subject: RE: Jimmie F. Rodgers - where is he?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Apr 11 - 02:56 PM

I've always been a great fan of the fifties and Jimmie Rodgers was one of my favorites. When I think of the happy times of the fifties (and they weren't all happy) a Jimmie Rodgers song always makes me smile. Thanks, Jimmie, for some great music.
Sincerely,
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Jimmie F. Rodgers - where is he?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 11:52 PM

His oldest daughter is a good friend of mine and also my publisher. I'll ask her tomorrow and post an update with as much as she's willing to share...unless she's willing to post herself. That would be better. I'll ask.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: GUEST,Karl Berg
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 05:05 PM

Thank you Michael for the update on your father. He and I were barracks mates at Sewart AFB in the mid 50's. As also the host of a radio show for Air Force Recruiting on WGNS Murfreesboro, Tenn, I asked your father to bring his guitar and perform on the show. I believe it was the first time he was in a studio with a mic, but he performed like a trooper. I also remember the many times he sang literally for pennies in Printer's Alley in Nashville and came back to the barracks with little more (sometimes) than gas money. I'm so happy to learn that he is much better these days. I was in Palm Desert last winter, but was unable to make contact. Please pass along our congratulations on his recovery and best wishes for the future. And don't let age 73 scare him, I'm even older and still kicking!

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 09:46 AM

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT JIMMIE F RODGERS.
HE WAS GREAT, AND, HE IS STILL GREAT.
[e-mail] 2010.10.27

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 02:01 PM

My dad had many of his records that I listened too when I was a kid, and I loved his voice. Looking back, I don't much like most of his arrangements for the folk songs he recorded, but his versions of traditional songs such as Lord Randall are part of what put me on the path to being a 'traddie'. I'm glad he's doing well. I recall seeing him on an interview program after his accident, and he obviously was in bad shape. That must have been some time in the late sixties. I'm glad he is well now.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: GUEST,Marlene Coyne
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 01:32 PM

I had the opportunity to attend several of Jimmie's shows in Branson, MO. It was always the favorite of all the shows and I also had the chance to chat with him for a few minutes. He is a wonderful man and I hope that he will have many years to enjoy his family. I love his music.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 12:45 AM

Michael,

Awesome courage on your father's part - and thanks to you for your support.

Hope your dad's remaining years are blessed ones.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 09:36 PM

How absolutely wonderful!

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: beeliner
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 07:58 PM

This is from the 'Discussion" page of Mr. Rodgers' Wikipedia article, copied just a few minutes ago:

Hi everyone, My name is Michael Rodgers and I am Jimmie Rodgers son. As an update on he outcome of the surgery mentioned above please find the following. Dad's surgery went extremely well. The steel plate was removed after 40 years and the doctor's found that dad's skull had regrown underneath the plate and had completely regenerated and sealed the 29 square inch opening that had been there for so long. They did not need to install the skull implant that they had planned to and the surgery lasted on 45 minutes. Dad is completely healed and living a new life with no more issues from the beating so many years ago.

You can see a new performance on YouTube.com of dad performing last february 2008 a song called "100 miles" Thanks for your prayers and thoughtful emails. All the best, Michael Rodgers

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 03:26 PM

June 2007 - I didn't check further:

"In 1967 when he was 33 years old my father was injured in what is now known as a road rage incident with an off duty Los Angeles Police Officer. He suffered severe head injuries and underwent three brain surgeries. During one of those surgeries he lost 28 square inches of his skull on the right side of his head.

"Since 1968 he has carried what is considered to be the largest steel plate ever implanted in someone's head. For 39 years the entire right side of his head has been entirely made of steel.

"It took Dad nearly 15 years to recover from the last surgery in 1968 as he had to learn to walk,speak and regain his motor skills. He was not suppose to live more than 10 years with this steel plate in his body as the body continually tries to reject these kind of implants. Over the years as he has gotten older the skin on his scalp has gotten thinner (as it does with everyone) and the steel has began to try to regain it's original shape and the edges of the plate that overlap the remaining bone have become sharp and they continually cut his scalp open making the plate stick through the top of his head. When this happens his brain is exposed to air and possible infection, he has terrible mood swings and if left this way this situation will eventually lead to his death.

"Over the last 15 years he has had the plate filed, snipped, cut, and reshaped, he has had over 60 different skin graphs and other surgeries to try and keep his head from opening up. The last such surgery was 18 months ago and it nearly killed him. He now has a hole in his head the size of a half dollar and it has been this way since February. There is not enough healthy skin left on his scalp to cover it over.

"My dad is tough. He is the definition of the word. He has avoided what is about to take place and tried everything imaginable to live with the constant pain and discomfort and he has now made a decision that will define what will be the rest of his life.
On Thursday June 28, 2007 a team of Brain Surgeons in Hot Springs Arkansas will remove the steel plate that he has carried with him for 39 years. They plan to remove the outer layer of skin and lift the plate away from the position it has held covering the outer layer of his brain. If successful they will replace the plate with a new material that has been developed that will recreate the skull bone and will not be rejected by the body. They also plan to recreate new skin on his head using his own stem cells in a paste form so that no more skin graphs will be needed.

"If this surgery works he will no longer have the worry that his head will open up and his brain will become exposed anymore. If this surgery works he will have the chance to live what is left of his life without pain and the ever present knowledge that at anytime his head will open up again.

"If this surgery works there is also a very real chance that he might never recover from the intense trauma that he is about to go through. At 33 years of age it took him 15 years to recover. At 73 years of age who knows what the outcome might be. What we do know is that he cannot live with this in his body anymore and it needs to come out if he is going to have any chance to live whatsoever.

"Dad has made the decision. The Doctors feel confident that all will be fine and we are stepping out on faith that this is the right course of action."


More from his son, Michael

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 09:13 AM

Where is our Jimmie F Rodgers ?

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: open mike
Date: 28 Aug 05 - 02:35 AM

Spasmodic Dysphonia?
i can hear a song coming on-
that sounds so musical and poetic

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 02:54 PM

Re Jimme Rodgers (part the second)

Did a Yahoo search and found the following. He performed in Branson in Dec, 2000. He performed at the conference for Spasmodic Dysphonia in June, this year; he apparently has suffered from this disease, and was made an honorary board member of the organization.
Q, the rest is up to you.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 02:38 PM

The last work of Mr. Rodgers I heard and saw was a commercial for a local carpet company, seems like maybe 25+ years ago. I really liked his folkrock version of Child of Clay, though I didn't much like that genre.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 27 Aug 05 - 02:29 PM

Ooops. I heard, in the late 60s/early 70s, that he had died. Hope that's wrong. Could the head injuries have caused the kind of permanent damage that would make it impossible for him to perform, but leave him able to keep writing? (note: He didn't author/compose Kisses--just had a reeeeely popular recording of it.)    Tw

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 05:16 PM

Maybe he is learning to play the guitar.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 03:15 PM

Obviously he recovered from the 1967 accident, since he has credits for work at least to 1997 although he recorded little or nothing after the accident.

Thanks, pdq, that may provide a way to reach him.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: pdq
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 02:54 PM

On another thread about Jimmie Rodgers name-alikes, it was pointed out that he lives in Bermuda Dunes in Riverside Co., CA. It is part of the greater Palm Springs area. Lots of golf courses for retired folk singers to play.

Subject: RE: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Ebbie
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 02:43 PM

This doesn't say where he is now - according to Yahoo! people search there are many "James/ Jim Rodgers" in Washington state- but it might help explain why we don't hear about him anymore.

"At the end of 1967, his career went into a final tailspin after he suffered severe head injuries in a controversial incident involving a Los Angeles police officer."

More about Jimmie F. Rodgers

Subject: JIMMIE F. RODGERS- where is he?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 02:06 PM

In thread 24481 (Kisses Sweeter Than Wine), Bill Sage of Honolulu is trying to find the singer-composer-songwriter to get some information. Where is he now?
Kisses Sweeter

(Born Camas, WA, 09/18/1933. Songwriter for the documentary "Riding the Rails, 1997, last work reference I found to him. Alive in 2004).