Jim Halsey
Encyclopedia
Jim Halsey is an American artist manager, agent, and impresario. Halsey has guided the careers of such illustrious personalities as Roy Clark
, The Oak Ridge Boys
, Waylon Jennings
, Reba McEntire
, Clint Black
, Minnie Pearl
, Tammy Wynette
, Merle Haggard
, Dwight Yoakum, The Judds
, Lee Greenwood
, Hank Thompson
, Woody Herman
, James Brown
, Roy Orbison
, Leon Russell
, Rick Nelson, The Righteous Brothers
, and many others.
Halsey has organized and presented country music performances all over the world, in many places, for the first time. His 1976 tour, presenting Roy Clark and The Oak Ridge Boys in the Soviet Union won praise both culturally and in diplomatic circles. Roy Clark's return tour of the USSR in 1988 was the subject of an award-winning television documentary. His efforts have expanded the horizons of country music into Europe and Asia. The booking agency division of The Jim Halsey Company, Inc., was sold to the William Morris Agency
in 1990 where he remained a consultant for several years.
, in his book “Impresario”. In October 1949, following a vision from a book report assignment on the life of Sol Hurok, Jr. College student Jim Halsey was inspired to present shows and dances at Memorial Hall and the Independence area. His first show/dance, Leon McAuliffe
was the beginning of promotions that would include big band concerts, Broadway shows, classical music presentations, wrestling, ice shows and circuses.
and his Brazos Valley Boys, subsequently discovering and adding Wanda Jackson
(1956) and Roy Clark
(1959), eventually maintaining a roster of 40 to 50 stars. The company over the next 40 years would become the world’s largest Country music agency, presenting their artists on a global basis. Sold out concerts from Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden, to Wembley Stadium, London Palladium and Royal Albert Hall, Rossiya Theatre Moscow and Sports Coliseum Leningrad, to Tokyo Jazz Festival, Montreaux Jazz Festival, Soldiers Stadium Chicago, Constitution Hall, Washington D.C. and nearly every major fair and festival around the world. During this 40 years, the Company booked over 120,000 concert dates for their roster of stars.
Jim Halsey has organized and presented country music performances all over the world, in many places for the first time. His 1976 tour of the Soviet Union headlining Roy Clark and the Oak Ridge Boys won praise both culturally and in diplomatic circles. The efforts of Jim Halsey expanded Country Music into Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
.
, Casio
, GoGirlsMusic.com, D'Addario
Strings, TAXI, Indie Band Manager and BluBlocker Sunglasses. This annual contest awards cash and merchandise for the best new amateur songs in several categories of music: Pop, Rock, Country, Gospel, Latin, World, Jazz, and R&B/Rap.
(CMA), The Academy of Country Music
(ACM), National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
(Austin Chapter), Mercantile Bank and Trust Tulsa, Citizens National Bank, and the Tulsa Philharmonic
. Halsey was also a member of the Kansas Film Commission between 1981 and 1985.
. Jim Halsey is married to Minisa Crumbo, daughter of American Indian artist Woody Crumbo
.
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
, The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, Clint Black
Clint Black
Clint Patrick Black is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor. Signed to RCA Records in 1989, Black made his debut with his Killin' Time album, which produced four straight Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
, Minnie Pearl
Minnie Pearl
Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...
, Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
, Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
, Dwight Yoakum, The Judds
The Judds
The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
, Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood
Melvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....
, Hank Thompson
Hank Thompson
Hank Thompson may refer to:*Hank Thompson *Hank Thompson , country music singer and songwriter...
, Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
, Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
, Rick Nelson, The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003...
, and many others.
Halsey has organized and presented country music performances all over the world, in many places, for the first time. His 1976 tour, presenting Roy Clark and The Oak Ridge Boys in the Soviet Union won praise both culturally and in diplomatic circles. Roy Clark's return tour of the USSR in 1988 was the subject of an award-winning television documentary. His efforts have expanded the horizons of country music into Europe and Asia. The booking agency division of The Jim Halsey Company, Inc., was sold to the William Morris Agency
William Morris Agency
WME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
in 1990 where he remained a consultant for several years.
Early Life
Jim Halsey was born in Independence, Kansas to Harry E. Halsey, Jr. and Carrie Lee (Messick) Halsey. He attended Washington School, Jr. and Sr. High School and Independence Jr. College. At age 12, Jim Halsey organized the Junior Marines (ages 9–12) to stimulate war bond sales. They drilled every Saturday at Washington School. Dues were 2 cents per member. A few years later, Jim formulated his goals after absorbing the story of the Great Impresario Sol HurokSol Hurok
Sol Hurok was a world-famous 20th century American impresario.-Biography:...
, in his book “Impresario”. In October 1949, following a vision from a book report assignment on the life of Sol Hurok, Jr. College student Jim Halsey was inspired to present shows and dances at Memorial Hall and the Independence area. His first show/dance, Leon McAuliffe
Leon McAuliffe
Leon McAuliffe , born William Leon McAuliffe, was an American Western swing musician from Houston, Texas...
was the beginning of promotions that would include big band concerts, Broadway shows, classical music presentations, wrestling, ice shows and circuses.
The Jim Halsey Company, Inc.
In December 1951, Jim Halsey founded the Jim Halsey Co. Talent Agency with first client Hank ThompsonHank Thompson
Hank Thompson may refer to:*Hank Thompson *Hank Thompson , country music singer and songwriter...
and his Brazos Valley Boys, subsequently discovering and adding Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist...
(1956) and Roy Clark
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
(1959), eventually maintaining a roster of 40 to 50 stars. The company over the next 40 years would become the world’s largest Country music agency, presenting their artists on a global basis. Sold out concerts from Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden, to Wembley Stadium, London Palladium and Royal Albert Hall, Rossiya Theatre Moscow and Sports Coliseum Leningrad, to Tokyo Jazz Festival, Montreaux Jazz Festival, Soldiers Stadium Chicago, Constitution Hall, Washington D.C. and nearly every major fair and festival around the world. During this 40 years, the Company booked over 120,000 concert dates for their roster of stars.
Jim Halsey has organized and presented country music performances all over the world, in many places for the first time. His 1976 tour of the Soviet Union headlining Roy Clark and the Oak Ridge Boys won praise both culturally and in diplomatic circles. The efforts of Jim Halsey expanded Country Music into Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
The Jim Halsey Institute of Music and Entertainment Business
From 1994-1999 Jim Halsey created and served as director of the award winning Music and Entertainment Business Program at Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Additionally, Jim is a Visiting Professor at HED Music College in Yehud, Israel and lectures and teaches extensively at other colleges and universities around the world. Halsey wrote his first book and seminar series, “How To Make It In The Music Business”. In March 2010, Halsey launched the The Jim Halsey Institute of Music and Entertainment Business, a undergraduate music business program at Independence Community CollegeIndependence Community College
Independence Community College is a community college in Independence, Kansas, United States. It is located between Tulsa, Kansas City, Wichita, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri and was formerly known as Independence Community Junior College....
.
Starmaker
In 2010, following the success of The Jim Halsey Institute, Halsey released his second book titled "Starmaker", a comprehensive guide to success in the music industry.Billboard/Starmaker Worldwide Song Contest
Halsey is the co-creator of the Billboard/Starmaker Worldwide Song Contest which is entering it’s 19th year, and is co-sponsored by Sonicbids, Disc MakersDisc Makers
Disc Makers is primarily a CD and DVD manufacturer that caters to independent musicians, filmmakers, and small businesses. Disc Makers competes with many established CD and DVD replicators in North America including , , , , , and ....
, Casio
Casio
is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio is best known for its electronic products, such as calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches...
, GoGirlsMusic.com, D'Addario
D'Addario
D'Addario is a manufacturer of musical instrument strings, primarily guitar strings, currently headquartered in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York...
Strings, TAXI, Indie Band Manager and BluBlocker Sunglasses. This annual contest awards cash and merchandise for the best new amateur songs in several categories of music: Pop, Rock, Country, Gospel, Latin, World, Jazz, and R&B/Rap.
Awards and Recognitions
- 2009 - Induction to Kansas Music Hall of Fame
- 2005 - Impresario of the Year - Kansas Federation of News
- 2000 - Inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of FameOklahoma Music Hall of FameThe Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Muskogee...
- 1999 - Medal of Honor - Cherokee Honor Society (Tahlequah, Oklahoma)
- 1998 - Governor's Award in Arts & Education - Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating.
- 1997 - LIfetime Achievement Award - International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA)
- 1992 - Degree - Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, Baker University
- 1990 - The Jim Halsey Company booking agency division was sold to the William Morris AgencyWilliam Morris AgencyWME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
- 1989 - Medallion - Committee for Artists - Deutsche Democratic Republic
- 1989 - Medallion - Festival of Bregenz - Bregenz, Austria
- 1989 - Citation - Kumamoto Prefectural Government; Japan Mokihiro Hosokawa, Governor
- 1988 - Distinguished Serviced Award - International Theatrical Agents Association
- 1987 - Billboard Magazine "Salutes" The Jim Halsey Company with a special 52 page supplement
- 1987 - The Frederic Chopin Medal presented by PAGART (The Polish Artists Bureau)
- 1986 - Commendation for Outstanding Leadership in Promoting World Peace and Harmony through the Medium of Visual and Performing Arts from the Mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley
- 1985 - Founding President's Award from the Country Music AssociationCountry Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
- 1984 - International Federation of Festival OrganizationsInternational Federation of Festival OrganizationsFederation Internationale des Organisations de Festivals is an organization to hold and organize festivals worldwide. It was established in 1966 and headquartered in Split, Yugoslavia with President professor Armando Moreno...
(FIDOF) Diploma as promoter for the Neewollah Festival for Promoting Peace and Friendship through Music and Art - 1982 - Distinguished Leadership Award given by Baker University
- 1982 - Named one of Esquire Magazine's Country Music Heavy 100
- 1982 - The FIDOF Oscar, presented in Cannes, France during the world wide MIDEM convention by FIDOF Spain President, Augusto AlgueróAugusto AlgueróAugusto Algueró Dasca was a Spanish arranger, composer and music director.Algueró studied both music and medicine...
. - 1982 - Recipient of citation at the GoldenOrpheus Festival in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria
- 1980 - Recipient of International Ambassador of Country Music Award for SESACSESACSESAC, originally the Society of European Stage Authors & Composers, is the smallest of the three performance rights organizations in the United States. SESAC was founded in 1930, making it the second-oldest performing rights organization in the U.S. SESAC is also the fastest-growing PRO in the...
- 1980 - Recipient of Outstanding Artistic Achievement inBooking Award from Cashbox Magazine
- 1980 - Recipient of Distinguished Kansan Award from Topeka Capitol
- 1978 - Recipient of Cashbox Magazine "Manager of the Year" Award
- 1978 - Recipient of the International Ambassador of Country Music Award for SESAC
- 1977 - Recipient of the Jim ReevesJim ReevesJames Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
Memorial Award by the Academy of Country Music - 1958 - Co-Founded the New Neewollah Festival in Independence, Kansas (to become Kansas's largest annual festival)
- 1957 - Recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Independence, Kansas
Affiliations
Halsey has served on the following Board of Directors: The Country Music AssociationCountry Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
(CMA), The Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
(ACM), National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
(Austin Chapter), Mercantile Bank and Trust Tulsa, Citizens National Bank, and the Tulsa Philharmonic
Tulsa Philharmonic
The Tulsa Philharmonic was an American symphony orchestra located in Tulsa, OK. The orchestra was founded in 1948 by H. Arthur Brown who was principal conductor from 1948 till 1958. The orchestra played for 53 seasons...
. Halsey was also a member of the Kansas Film Commission between 1981 and 1985.
Personal Life
Jim Halsey is the father of director/producer Sherman HalseySherman Halsey
Sherman Halsey is an American music video and television director, producer, and artist manager. Sherman Halsey has produced and directed hundreds of television shows and music videos for artists such as Tim McGraw, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, BB King, Michael Bolton, Dwight Yoakam, and many...
. Jim Halsey is married to Minisa Crumbo, daughter of American Indian artist Woody Crumbo
Woody Crumbo
Woodrow "Woody" Crumbo was an American Indian artist, flautist, and dancer of Potawatomi descent. As an independent prospector, he found one of the largest beryllium veins in the nation. His paintings are held by several prominent museums, including the Smithsonian Institution and the...
.