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About the video
Jim Eanes performs "In A Little Spanish Restaurant"
About the artist
Born Homer Robert Eanes, Jr., 6 December 1923, Mountain Valley, Henry
County, Virginia
Died 21 November 1995, Virginia
Born Homer Robert Eanes, "Jim" started playing at the age of 9 using the guitar
bought for him by his father and by the age of 16 had elevated to vocalising in
Roy Hall's Blue Ridge Entertainers.
Eanes made his first solo recordings in 1949, having spent the previous years
backing a host of musicians which included Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe,
while also showing himself to be a prolific song-writer (among others, he
co-wrote the Hank Williams hit 'Wedding Bells'). Eanes formed his own band,
The Shenandoah Valley Boys in 1951 and, several recording contracts later,
Eanes and the band found themselves contracted to Decca where his bluegrass
style was toned down in favour of a more traditional country style and which
brought him some regional success, but not sufficient to prompt Decca to extend
his contract. When Starday Records offered him a contract in 1956, Eanes
assembled a new Shenandoah Valley Boys with banjo player Allen Shelton,
fiddler Roy Russell, and bassist Arnold Terry. Considered one of bluegrass
music's classic bands, this group continued into 1964 with minor personnel
changes.
Eanes continued recording for various labels throughout the 60's and 70's, while
reverting to his first love of bluegrass music in the mid 60's with a series of
albums featuring both his own band and the band of Red Smiley (which Eanes
renamed The Shenandoah Cutups). With limited commercial success, the band
were disbanded in 1970, leaving him to continue alone.
Eanes continued with his heavy touring schedule which included reunion
festivals with Bill Monroe and frequent visits to Europe, recording his final solo
album, '50th Anniversary', in Belgium in 1982. Eanes had suffered heart
problems since a major heart attack in 1978, and despite this and further heart
surgery in 1986, and being diagnosed with emphysema in 1990, he continued
touring and recording with Bobby Atkins, albeit on a smaller scale.
Jim Eanes died in Virginia on November 21st, 1995 due to congestive heart
failure.