185:, to Juanita 'Gypsy' and Andrew Spheeris, who owned and operated a traveling carnival called the Majick Empire. These childhood years of colorful transience were a major influence on later work, as evidenced in songs such as "Lost in the Midway" and "Decatur Street," among others.
249:, when his motorcycle collided with a van at 2 a.m. on the morning of July 4, 1984. The driver of the van, Bruce Burnside, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and felony vehicular manslaughter. Hours before his death, Spheeris finished the self-titled album,
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In 1998, independent record label Rain
Records began re-releasing Spheeris' catalog on CD, but stopped production in 2001 following the cancellation of a music licensing contract with
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330:. Johnny Pierce (November 30, 1953 – December 12, 2005), worked with Spheeris as a recording session and touring artist from 1973 to 1980, and wrote extensive
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Spheeris had no recording contract. Except for a 1980 single, "Hold Tight," Spheeris released no new material through a major record label.
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and Linda, and a brother, Andy. After his father was murdered by a "belligerent carnival-goer," Gypsy
Spheeris moved the family to
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A song on
Spheeris' final album entitled "You Must Be Laughing Somewhere" is based on the life of his friend, author
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garnered a devoted following and FM radio airplay, most notably for the song "I Am the
Mercury." His 1973 album,
165:(November 5, 1949 – July 4, 1984) was an American singer-songwriter who released four albums in the 1970s on the
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was followed by a period of extensive concert touring. Spheeris returned to the recording studio in 1975 with
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flourishes. His voice is most often described by music critics and fans as "soulful," "sultry," or "smoky."
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555:"Remembering Jimmie Spheeris," Pat Alston, Santa Monica Evening Outlook, page A-4, August 18, 1986.
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and
Spheeris were also friends, sharing a New York City apartment for a time in the early 1970s.
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The following is a partial list of musicians who contributed to recordings by Jimmie
Spheeris:
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200:, California. Gypsy Spheeris tended bar at an establishment on Main Street called The Circle.
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Spheeris primarily composed on the guitar and piano. His musical genre was generally in the
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Spheeris moved to New York City in the late 1960s to pursue his songwriting career. The
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labels. Spheeris died in 1984, at the age of 34, after a motorcycle accident.
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577:"Five deaths mar Westside's July Fourth", Will Thorne and Rick Cziment,
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Various sources, including personal conversations with Jimmie
Spheeris.
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With few exceptions, Spheeris’ guitar compositions employed the use of
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Various sources, primarily liner notes from
Spheeris' LPs and CDs.
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and singer-songwriter traditions, although later work explored
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regarding the tunings
Spheeris used throughout his career.
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NPR Interview from July 2, 2000 regarding Jimmie's work
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on his debut album credit friend and fellow songwriter
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contributed backing vocals on
Spheeris' 1976 album,
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607:Example: "Spheeris Show Sparkles", Boo Browning,
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542:"Remembering Jimmie Spheeris," Pat Alston,
564:Liner notes in the "Thank You" section of
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512:, 2000, Rain Records RR006. Produced by
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568:Columbia Records catalog number C30988
504:An Evening with Jimmie Spheeris (live)
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709:Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)
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592:The Jimmie Spheeris Memorial Gallery
476:, 1973, Columbia 32157. Produced by
466:, 1972, Columbia 30988. Produced by
337:Spheeris’ vocal range was primarily
181:Jimmie (James) Spheeris was born in
724:Road incident deaths in California
714:20th-century American male singers
245:Spheeris died at the age of 34 in
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734:20th-century American songwriters
684:American writers of Greek descent
596:Jimmie Spheeris: Guitar Tablature
694:People from Phenix City, Alabama
689:Musicians from Columbus, Georgia
634:Jimmie Spheeris Memorial Gallery
496:, 1976, Epic 34276. Produced by
486:, 1975, Epic 33565. Produced by
719:Motorcycle road incident deaths
276:, was posthumously awarded the
287:(owner of Spheeris’ catalog).
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704:20th-century American singers
654:Jimmie Spheeris: Jungle Sweep
228:The Original Tap Dancing Kid,
211:, who introduced Spheeris to
121:Singer-songwriter, bandleader
611:, page 18, November 8, 1976.
579:Santa Monica Evening Outlook
546:, page A-4, August 18, 1986.
544:Santa Monica Evening Outlook
474:The Original Tap Dancing Kid
222:Spheeris' 1972 debut album,
454:, Arnold McUlla., Bo Tanas
285:Sony Music Special Products
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278:Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
188:Spheeris had two sisters,
16:American singer-songwriter
729:American male songwriters
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699:Songwriters from Alabama
299:Jimmie Spheeris, c. 1976
253:, which was produced by
247:Santa Monica, California
129:Guitar, piano, keyboards
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273:A Confederacy of Dunces
37:Jimmie Spheeris, c.1972
382:, Dwight David Evans,
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43:Background information
484:The Dragon is Dancing
434:, Jay Ellington Lee,
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232:The Dragon is Dancing
260:A God That Can Dance
183:Phenix City, Alabama
77:Phenix City, Alabama
609:The Daily Oklahoman
408:Sneaky Pete Kleinow
365:. Recording artist
240:Ports of the Heart,
494:Ports of the Heart
363:Ports of the Heart
345:, with occasional
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268:John Kennedy Toole
236:Ports of the Heart
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328:alternate tunings
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357:Longtime friend
332:guitar tablature
313:jazz-rock fusion
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135:Years active
89:(1984-07-04)
87:July 4, 1984
18:
679:1984 deaths
674:1949 births
458:Discography
432:John Guerin
416:Chick Corea
404:Bobbye Hall
396:Russ Kunkel
388:Geoff Levin
217:Clive Davis
205:liner notes
668:Categories
521:References
514:Paul Delph
488:Henry Lewy
444:Paul Delph
420:Henry Lewy
367:Laura Nyro
305:folk music
280:in 1981).
255:Paul Delph
215:executive
64:1949-11-05
49:Birth name
468:Paul Leka
376:Jane Getz
353:Musicians
194:San Diego
177:Biography
139:1971–1984
108:folk rock
510:Spheeris
347:falsetto
339:baritone
251:Spheeris
190:Penelope
148:Columbia
112:new wave
102:, rock,
659:YouTube
198:Venice
144:Labels
96:Genres
73:Origin
343:tenor
291:Style
648:IMDb
341:and
315:and
309:jazz
169:and
152:Epic
100:Jazz
84:Died
58:Born
657:on
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