Jimmie Rodgers has had 13 number one hit records and sold over 60 millions records worldwide in his career including such hits as Honeycomb, Secretly, and Kisses Sweeter than Wine. For a period of four years he sold out every one of his engagements in his own theater in Branson Missori.
First Hit Record 1957: Honeycomb (#1 for 22 weeks)
Fourteen Gold Singles: Honeycomb, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, Oh-Oh I’m Falling in Love Again, Secretly, Bim Bom Bey, Are You Really Really Mine? , Tucumcari, The Long Hot Summer, Woman From Liberia, Make Me A Miracle, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, It’s Over, Child of Clay
Six Gold Albums: Jimmie Rodgers Favorite Hits, Jimmie Rodgers: The Golden Years, It’s OVer, Waltzing Matilda, Child of Clary Album 1, Jimmie Rodgers
Hit Records: From 1957 to 1960 recorded 21 Top-20 hit records with 14 in the Top-10. Overall recorded 45 singles charted in the top 40, 18 in the top 10 and 8 at #1.
Grammy Nominations: 1958 Best Country Western Vocal Performance, Oh-Oh I’m Falling in Love Again
1966 Best Pop Vocal Performance, It’s Over
1967 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Child of Clay
Halls of Fame: AS-SAR-BEN Western Hall of Fame elected 1971
Academy of Country Music Career Achievement Award nominated 1983
Rock’nRoll Hall of Fame nominated 1986
Northwest Area Hall of Fame elected 1991
Variety Show Host: The Jimmie Rodgers Show with Connie Francis (NBC/New York 1958)
The Carol Burnett Summer Replacement Show (CBS 1969)
Jimmie Rodgers Folk World (highest rated music show in Los Angeles 1965-67)
Guest Appearances: Dinah Shore, The Perry Como Show, Ed Sullivan, Jack Parr, Joey Bishop, Kraft Music Hall, The Smothers Brothers Show, Hee Haw
Movies: Back Door to Hell with Jack Nicholson
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come with Chill Wills and George Kennedy
The World Through the Eyes of Children written, produced, and directed by Jimmie Rodgers
Movie Soundrack: The Long Hot Summer starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward wrote and recorded music and lyrics
Commercial Jingles: Wrote and recorded music and lyrics for award winning commercials for spaghetti-os and Honeycomb cereal.
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Steve Rossi is half of the world famous comedy team of Allen and Rossi. At the age of 6, he appeared in Going My Way with Bing Crosby, The Jolson Story and over 30 movies.
At 16, Steve received a scholarship to The University of Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication, arts and theater and in Latin and Greek.
In 1954 Steve co-starred with Mae West in her sold out concerts all over America.
Steve Rossi teamed up with Marty Allen in 1957 where they became America’s #1 comedy team.They appeared on over 700 television shows including 44 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show 3 of which were with the Beatles in 1964. Other shows he guest starred on werePerry Como, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore,Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Steve Rossi and Marty Allen with the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show
Allen and Rossi were also regular guests stars on “What’s My Line“, “Hollywood Squares“, “Password” and numerous other game shows. They also starred in several Paramount films notably The Last of the Secret Agents with Nancy Sinatra and Ed Sullivan as guest stars.
The film is shown worldwide and has been the movie of the week on Showtime, HBO, Cinemax and 11 appearances (a record) on American Move Classics. Most recently September 21, 1999.
Steve Rossi produced and starred in The 25th Anniversary Allen and Rossi Special with special guest starsEngelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Rickles,Phyllis Diller, Redd Foxx, Martin Sheen, Ernie Borgnine, Rich Little, Jack Jones and Tony Orlando.
If you want to enjoy a great evening of comedy and hit songs Jimmie Rodgers and Steve Rossi are the perfect pair!
Check out the interviews of Steve on the Classic Television and showbiz blog. This is a great insight into Steve’s career that may surprise those who think they know everything about his rise to fame.
