30 Facts About Jimmy Driftwood

James Corbitt Morris, known professionally as Jimmy Driftwood or Jimmie Driftwood, was an American folk music songwriter and musician, most famous for his songs "The Battle of New Orleans" and "Tennessee Stud".

Jimmy Driftwood was born in Timbo, Arkansas, United States on June 20,1907.

Jimmy Driftwood is on the album Songs of the Ozarks.

Jimmy Driftwood learned to play the guitar at a young age on his grandfather's homemade instrument.

Jimmy Driftwood used that unique guitar throughout his career and noted that its neck was made from a fence rail, its sides from an old ox yoke, and the head and bottom from the headboard of his grandmother's bed.

Jimmy Driftwood attended John Brown College in northwest Arkansas and later received a degree in education from Arkansas State Teacher's College.

Jimmy Driftwood started writing songs during his teaching career to teach his students history in an entertaining manner.

In 1936, Jimmy Driftwood married Cleda Johnson, who was one of his former students, and returned to Arkansas to raise a family and resume his teaching career.

Jimmy Driftwood wrote his later famous "Battle of New Orleans" in 1936, to help a high school class he was teaching become interested in the event.

In 1957, a Nashville, Tennessee song publisher learned of Jimmy Driftwood, auditioned him, and signed him to his first record deal.

Jimmy Driftwood recalled playing some 100 of his songs in one day, of which 20 were chosen to be recorded.

Jimmy Driftwood said that at the time those words could be preached but not sung in secular contexts for broadcast.

Jimmy Driftwood was asked to make a shorter censored version of the song for a live radio performance.

Singer Johnny Horton, after hearing the song, contacted Jimmy Driftwood and told him that he wished to record his own version.

Jimmy Driftwood left Arkansas for Nashville and became popular by his appearances on programs including the Grand Ole Opry, Ozark Jubilee, and Louisiana Hayride.

Jimmy Driftwood was invited to sing for Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev as an example of traditional American music during the leader's 1959 state visit to the United States.

Jimmy Driftwood became a member of the Opry in the 1950s.

The popular peak of Jimmy Driftwood's career came in 1959, when he had no fewer than six songs on the popular and country music charts, including Johnny Horton's recording of his "The Battle of New Orleans", which remained in first place on the country music singles chart for ten weeks, and atop the popular music chart for six weeks that year.

Jimmy Driftwood songs were recorded by Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Homer and Jethro, Odetta, Doc Watson and others.

In 1959, Jimmy Driftwood appeared as a guest on the television game show, To Tell The Truth.

Jimmy Driftwood became interested in promoting Arkansas folk music and the local folk performers he knew in the area.

Jimmy Driftwood invited members of the Mountain View community to perform at a festival of his own devising.

Jimmy Driftwood helped establish the Ozark Folk Center to preserve Ozark Mountain culture.

Jimmy Driftwood became involved with environmental issues when the United States Army Corps of Engineers planned to dam the Buffalo River.

Jimmy Driftwood worked to defeat the plan, which ultimately resulted in the establishment of Buffalo National River.

Jimmy Driftwood had a major role in preserving Blanchard Springs Caverns which later came under management of the United States Forest Service.

Jimmy Driftwood recorded the song still heard in the orientation film in the visitor center.

Jimmy Driftwood was appointed to direct the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Commission for his environmental efforts.

Jimmy Driftwood was named to the Advisory Committee of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

Jimmy Driftwood died of a heart attack on July 12,1998, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at age 91.