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Johnny Rodriguez & Jeannie Seely

Johnny Rodriguez & Jeannie Seely

LOVE THAT RODRIGUEZ SOUND.......

Almost 40 years after he first arrived in Nashville, Johnny Rodriguez is right back
where he started coming full circle back to making the kind of honest country
music that he and his fans always enjoyed.

Born December 10, 1951, Johnny Rodriguez was the second youngest of 10
children living in a four room house in Sabinal, Texas, a small town about 90 miles
from the Mexico Border.

Growing up in Sabinal, Johnny was an A/B student, captain of his Junior High
School Football team, a high school letterman and an altar boy at church. But it
wasn't all innocent. In 1969, caught with friends stealing and barbecuing a goat,
Rodriguez took the rap. It was this jail visit that gave Johnny his first break.

His jail house singing enthralled Texas Ranger, Joaquin Jackson, who told a
promoter about Rodriguez. The promoter, Happy Shahan,  hired Johnny to
perform at the Alamo Village, a popular south Texas tourist attraction and location
of many well know movie sets. It was here that Johnny was heard by Nashville artists Tom T. Hall and Bobby Bare who both encouraged Johnny to fly to Nashville in 1971. 20-year old Rodriguez found himself stepping off the plane with nothing more than his guitar in hand and $14 in his pocket. Soon he was fronting Tom T. Hall's Band and writing songs.

Less than year later, Hall took Johnny over to the office of Roy Dea and Jerry
Kennedy, then record producers of Mercury's Nashville operation, for an in
person audition. Dea offered a contract on the spot after hearing "I Can't Stop
Loving You" and "If I'd Left It Up To You".

There were 15 number one singles that followed. The first of the singles to reach
number one was "Pass Me By". The song raced through the country charts and
put Johnny in the fast lane of the country music world. His next single, "You
Always Come Back To Hurting Me"  didn't stop until it hit the top the first of 11
consecutive #1 records, some of which he wrote or co-wrote.

His debut album, Introducing Johnny Rodriguez, went to #1 on all three major
trade charts and by 1973 he was nominated by the Country Music Association for
"Male Vocalist of the Year" and won the Billboard Trend Setter Award for first
Mexican-American to capture a national audience.  Some of Johnny's classic hits
during this period included "Pass Me By", "You Always Come Back (To Hurting
Me)", "Riding My Thumb To Mexico", "That's The Way Love Goes" and "Just Get
Up And Close The Door".

In addition to the hits came the industry Accolade Awards, and television film
roles including a role on the TV show "Adam 12" and a guest appearance on "The
Dating Game".  Since 1974, when Rodriguez made his debut as a TV actor, he has
been a favorite on national talk shows and performance format shows. His
emphasis, however, was still music; country music.

In 1979, Johnny moved from Mercury to Epic Records, where he worked with
producer Billy Sherrill. His debut album with Epic, "Rodriguez", contained with
one exception, songs written by Johnny. His successes included: "What'll I Tell
Virginia", "Love Look At Us Now", "North Of The Border", "Foolin", "How Could I
Love Her So Much", and "Rose Of My Heart".

The union of producer Tom Collins and Capitol Records in 1987 resulted in
Rodriguez' album titled "Gracias", which contained such hits as "I Didn't (Every
Chance I Had)", "I Want To Wake Up With You" and  "You Might Want To Use Me
Again".

In 1993, Johnny recorded "Run For The Border" on Intersound and in 1996 he
reunited with the Dea/Kennedy team to truly capture the fire and magic of their
past collaborations with the creation of "You Can Say That Again".

In the past 40 years, Johnny has released 35 albums and charted 45 singles. He
has beat the pavement touring in every state in the U.S. and enjoys an enormous
response when touring overseas in countries such as Switzerland, England, S.
Korea, France, Spain, East & West Germany, Japan, Belgium, Guam, Poland,
Canada and Mexico.

This favored son of Texas has received standing ovations by audiences ranging
from Ryman Auditorium to Carnegie Hall. He has been honored with the presence
of Presidents of the United States including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and
playing the Inaugural Ball for George Bush.

Rodriguez has been highlighted for his contributions and place in music's
traditions and history. This artist brings the Hispanic communities and country
music together with his bilingual songs.

Through the years, Rodriguez has risen from the rural lifestyle of Sabinal to the
top of the country music world. He has crammed more living into those "wonder
years" than most people see in a lifetime. With the love and support of his fans
as well as some legendary names in entertainment world, he has sustained. The
hardships that Johnny Rodriguez has experienced throughout his long and
lucrative career are reflected in the no nonsense strength of his vocal style,
which we are sure to enjoy for many years ahead.

Johnny was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in Carthage, TX
in 2007, an honor well deserved for his contribution to country music.  In 2010,
Johnny received the Pioneer Award from the Institute of Hispanic Culture.


Jeannie Seely

          “Miss Country Soul”


Today Jeannie Seely chuckles when she recalls her decision to move to Nashville in the fall of 1965.  “It’s true,” she says, “that I only had $50 and a Ford Falcon to my name”.

     Actually, the blonde, blue-eyed singer brought a lot more than that to Music City.  She had natural talent, striking intelligence, and a strong determination to turn her dreams into reality.

     Less than a month after moving, Jeannie was hired by Porter Wagoner as the female singer for his road show and television series.  Despite being initially turned down by every record label in town, within six months she was in the studio recording the first of many hit songs. 

     Within a year Jeannie was singing on the world famous Grand Ole Opry stage, where she still performs on a regular basis. 

     To this day, the former bank secretary remains the only Pennsylvania native to be invited to join the Opry cast.  Born in Titusville and raised on a farm near Townville, Jeannie was tuning the family’s radio to WSM 650 from the time she was tall enough to reach the dial.

     Among many achievements, Jeannie can claim No. 1 country songs as a solo artist, duet partner and songwriter.  Her recording of  “Don’t Touch Me” not only hit the top of the charts, but also earned her the 1966 Grammy Award for the Best Country Vocal Performance by a Female.

     With fellow Opry member Jack Greene, Jeannie scored another No. 1 in 1969 with “Wish I Didn’t Have To Miss You”.  That song launched one of the most popular duos and road shows in country music for over a decade.

     In 1972, Faron Young took Jeannie’s “Leavin’ And Sayin’ Goodbye” to the

No. 1 spot, earning her a BMI Songwriter’s Award.  Among other artists who have recorded Jeannie’s compositions are Norma Jean, Dottie West, Ray Price, Connie Smith, Willie Nelson and Lorrie Morgan.

     Along with placing records on the Billboard charts for 13 consecutive years, Jeannie also served as a radio disc jockey on her own Armed Forces Network Show, traveled on military tours throughout Europe and Asia, made numerous appearances on national television shows, and published her own book of witticisms, “Pieces Of A Puzzled Mind”.

     Her deeply moving vocals solidified her reputation as a country torch singer and earned her the nickname of “Miss Country Soul”, a title still frequently used today.

     Known throughout her career as an individualist – as well as for her infectious humor – Jeannie is widely recognized for changing the image of female country performers.  She’s credited for wearing the first mini-skirt on the Opry stage.

    

 

     She has created an acting career for herself appearing in music videos, plays and movies, including “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, “Everybody Loves Opal”, Honeysuckle Rose”, “Changing Hearts”, “Colored Eggs” and “Could It Be Love”.

     Her 2003 CD, “Life’s Highway”, reviewed by Country Weekly, “is one of the year’s most welcome surprises – a thoughtful inventive acoustic winner that’s a much-needed slap in the face for anyone who might have forgotten how Jeannie earned her gig as one of the friendliest faces on the Grand Ole Opry”.  Country recordings by Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie Seely now span six decades with the release of her latest CD titled “Vintage Country: Old But Treasured” featuring timeless classic hits that Jeannie makes her own.  

     The multi-talented and versatile entertainer is celebrating 47 years as a Grand Ole Opry member and is still creating a stir every time she walks on stage! 





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