Johnny Gimble
Encyclopedia
John Paul Gimble better known as Johnny Gimble, is an American country music
ian associated with Western swing
. He is an award-winning fiddle
player and considered one of the most impressive fiddlers in the genre's history.
). He began playing in a band with his brothers at age 12, and continued playing with two of them, George and Jerry, as the Rose City Swingsters. The trio played local radio gigs, but soon after Gimble moved to Louisiana
and began performing with Jimmie Davis
. Late in the 1940s, he joined Bob Wills
's band, the Texas Playboys. With Wills, he played both fiddle and electric mandolin
, and distinguished himself by using a five-string fiddle (most fiddles have four strings). He broke off to form his own group in 1951, performing as the house band at Wills's club, but rejoined in 1953 and continued to play with Wills until the early 1960s.
Gimble left the music business briefly, working in a barber
shop and a hospital
, until 1969 when he and Wills began recording together again. From this time on he enjoyed steady work as a session musician
, including with Merle Haggard
on his Bob Wills tribute album
and Chet Atkins
on Superpickers
in 1973. The following year he took a cue from a song he wrote and performed on the Atkins' Superpickers album, Fiddlin' Around and recorded the first of ten solo albums, Fiddlin' Around. Since the late 1970s, he has won five Best Instrumentalist awards from the Country Music Awards and eight Best Fiddle Player awards from the Academy of Country Music
. From 1979 to 1981, Gimble toured with Willie Nelson
worldwide. In 1983, Gimble assembled a Texas swing group featuring Ray Price
on vocals, and charted a country radio hit with "One Fiddle, Two Fiddle," featured in the Clint Eastwood
movie Honkytonk Man
. Gimble was also nominated for a Grammy award
for his performance on the 1993 Mark O'Connor
album Heroes.
Gimble continues to perform, and has appeared in the 1990s and 2000s on Austin City Limits
and on Garrison Keillor
's television broadcasts. Gimble also has spent several years teaching fiddle, ensuring that the style of western fiddle playing is passed on to the next generation. Gimble was also a member of the Million Dollar Band
. His latest album is Celebrating with Friends.
Gimble's granddaughter, Emily, is a notable vocalist and keyboard player who has performed with Johnny Gimble and other bands.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
ian associated with Western swing
Western swing
Western swing music is a subgenre of American country music that originated in the late 1920s in the West and South among the region's Western string bands...
. He is an award-winning fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
player and considered one of the most impressive fiddlers in the genre's history.
Biography
Gimble was born in Bascom, Texas, (east of TylerTyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
). He began playing in a band with his brothers at age 12, and continued playing with two of them, George and Jerry, as the Rose City Swingsters. The trio played local radio gigs, but soon after Gimble moved to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and began performing with Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
. Late in the 1940s, he joined Bob Wills
Bob Wills
James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
's band, the Texas Playboys. With Wills, he played both fiddle and electric mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and distinguished himself by using a five-string fiddle (most fiddles have four strings). He broke off to form his own group in 1951, performing as the house band at Wills's club, but rejoined in 1953 and continued to play with Wills until the early 1960s.
Gimble left the music business briefly, working in a barber
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
shop and a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, until 1969 when he and Wills began recording together again. From this time on he enjoyed steady work as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, including with 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,...
on his Bob Wills tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
and Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
on Superpickers
Superpickers
Superpickers is an album by guitarist Chet Atkins and top recording session players in Nashville, TN."Fiddlin' Around" reached No. 75 on the Billboard Country Singles chart.-Reception:...
in 1973. The following year he took a cue from a song he wrote and performed on the Atkins' Superpickers album, Fiddlin' Around and recorded the first of ten solo albums, Fiddlin' Around. Since the late 1970s, he has won five Best Instrumentalist awards from the Country Music Awards and eight Best Fiddle Player awards from 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...
. From 1979 to 1981, Gimble toured with Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
worldwide. In 1983, Gimble assembled a Texas swing group featuring Ray Price
Ray Price (musician)
Ray Price is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. His wide-ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music...
on vocals, and charted a country radio hit with "One Fiddle, Two Fiddle," featured in the Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
movie Honkytonk Man
Honkytonk Man
Honkytonk Man is a 1982 American drama film set in the Great Depression. Clint Eastwood, who produced and directed, stars with his son, Kyle Eastwood. Clancy Carlile's screenplay is based on his novel of the same name...
. Gimble was also nominated for a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for his performance on the 1993 Mark O'Connor
Mark O'Connor
Mark O'Connor is an American bluegrass, jazz, country and classical violinist fiddler, composer and music teacher. O'Connor's music is wide-ranging, critically acclaimed, and he has received numerous awards for both his playing and his composition...
album Heroes.
Gimble continues to perform, and has appeared in the 1990s and 2000s on Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
and on Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
's television broadcasts. Gimble also has spent several years teaching fiddle, ensuring that the style of western fiddle playing is passed on to the next generation. Gimble was also a member of the Million Dollar Band
Million Dollar Band (country music group)
The Million Dollar Band was an all-star group of popular country musicians which often performed on the Hee Haw television variety show from August 1980 through November 1988....
. His latest album is Celebrating with Friends.
Gimble's granddaughter, Emily, is a notable vocalist and keyboard player who has performed with Johnny Gimble and other bands.