Country Artist Jimmy Gilmer

Jimmy Gilmer was a founding member of The Fireballs, an American Rock and Roll group, particularly popular at the end of the 1950s and in the early 1960s. Billed as Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, the group reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart with “Sugar Shack”, which remained at that position for five weeks in 1963. The single also reached No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart for one week in November of that year, but its run on that chart was cut short because Billboard ceased publishing an R&B chart from November 30, 1963, to January 23, 1965. Nonetheless, “Sugar Shack” earned the group a Gold Record Award for “Top Song Of 1963” based on record sales. In the UK, the song peaked at No. 45. Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs then had another Pop hit in 1964 with a similar-sounding “Daisy Petal Pickin'”, which reached No. 15 on the Hot 100.

Besides their own recordings, the Fireballs were studio musicians for dozens of other recording artist projects from 1959 through 1970 at the Norman Petty Studio, including folk singer Carolyn Hester and Arthur Alexander.

During the run of “Daisy Petal Pickin'” on the charts, the British Invasion began with the first hits by The Beatles. The group had difficulty competing with the influx of British artists and did not reach the Top 40 again until 1967, with “Bottle of Wine”, which was written by Tom Paxton. The Fireballs took “Bottle of Wine” to No. 9 on the Hot 100. Although Gilmer was still a member of the group, the band was billed simply as “The Fireballs” on that single. Gilmer pursued artist management under Petty, with the group disbanding in 1969.

Country’s Family Reunion Rock & Roll Graffiti
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