Died On This Date (November 7, 2008) Jody Reynolds / Early Rockabilly Star
Ralph “Jody” Reynolds
December 3, 1932 – November 7, 2008
Jody Reynolds had one of rockabilly’s earliest massive hits with 1958’s “Endless Sleep.” It was one of rock ‘n roll’s first “teen tragedy” songs. The single reached #5 on the Billboard singles chart and sold over 1 million copies. He followed it up with “Fire of Love” later that year. The song charted, but failed to come close to the success of “Endless Sleep.” Reynolds released several more records over the course of his career, but none were ever able to get him back up on top. He retired from the music business during the ’70s, and in 1999, he was elected to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He was 75 when he died of liver cancer on November 7, 2008.