Jody Reynolds
Jody Reynolds ( born December 3, 1932 in Denver, † November 7, 2008 in California ) was an American rockabilly singer, guitarist and songwriter.
Career
Reynolds grew up in Oklahoma, and later his family moved to Arizona. He was influenced by the popular there country and western music and founded in the early 1950s, a first band. With advent of rockabilly, he changed his style. Inspired by Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel title he already wrote in 1956 Endless Sleep. He sent demo tapes to various record companies, but they all refused the title of the tragic death of a young girl. Demon Records accepted the title unless they change the lyrics in a happy ending. 1958 the single reached # 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first of a series of titles about overshadowed by tragedies teenage love (among other things Tell Laura I Love Her by Ray Peterson, Ebony Eyes by The Everly Brothers or Leader of the Pack the Shangri- Las). The next single Fire of Love still reached the Top 100, but further chart success no longer get Reynolds. Endless Sleep was later recorded as a cover version by artists such as Vince Taylor, John Fogerty, Marc Bolan and Billy Idol.
Reynolds moved after a few years on songwriting and guitar led a trade target. His clients included, among others, Elvis Presley, for whom he operated on the mid-1970s by Colonel Tom Parker wrote some songs, but this could not take place before his death.
1999 Reynolds was honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in Palm Springs next to Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley. In the same year he was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame.