Jerry Woodard

Jerry Eugene Woodard (May 25, 1941 – August 9, 1980) was an American rockabilly singer, guitarist, songwriter, and radio host from Alabama. Active primarily during the 1950s and 1960s, Woodard recorded rockabilly, country, soul, blues, and pop music for labels including Fad, Reed, RCA Victor, Heart, Dial, Argo, and Chantain.

Woodard was posthumously inducted into the Birmingham Record Collectors Hall of Fame in 2010.

Early life

Woodard was born in Anniston, Alabama. He grew up in a musical family. His father, a minister, played guitar and banjo, while his mother played guitar and piano and reportedly taught guitarist Jerry Reed during his youth.

During the early 1950s, Woodard's family moved to Yerington, Nevada, where he and his brother won a talent contest performing the song "Mansion in the Sky". The family later returned to Alabama and settled in Tuscumbia.

Discography

Selected singles

"Six Long Weeks" / "Blue Broken Heart" (1958) "Downbeat" / "Our Love and Romance" (1958) "Who's Gonna Rock My Baby" / "Don't Make Me Lonely" (1958) "You Just Wait" / "New Love" (1960) "Speedway Rock" / "Modified-Sportsman Blues" (1961)