Luke McDaniel
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Luke McDaniel (February 3, 1927 – June 27, 1992), who also recorded under the stage name Jeff Daniels, was an American
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
and rockabilly music singer and songwriter. He was the grandfather of Mississippi state senator
Chris McDaniel Christopher Brian McDaniel (born June 28, 1971) is an American attorney, talk radio host, perennial candidate for statewide office, and politician who served in the Mississippi State Senate from 2008 to 2024. His politics have been widely descri ...
.


Biography

McDaniel was born in
Laurel, Mississippi Laurel is a city in and the second county seat of Jones County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 17,161. Laurel is northeast of Ellisville, the first county seat, which contains the first county ...
and raised on a farm. He learned to play
mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...
in high school, playing in local churches and public events. In 1945, he formed his own band, which opened for
Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
at a show in New Orleans in 1950. In 1952, he auditioned for Trumpet Records, but was initially turned down for a recording session. After Trumpet label head Lillian McMurry asked him to return with better songwriting material, he wrote "This Crying Heart", modeled after Williams's hit "
Your Cheatin' Heart "Your Cheatin' Heart" is a song written and recorded by country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1952. It is regarded as one of country's most important standards. Williams was inspired to write the song while driving with his fiancée ...
", which convinced McMurry to sign him for a recording contract. He recorded three songs with
Jimmy Swan James Eldon Swan (November 18, 1912 – 29 October 1995) was an American country musician and later, a segregationist political candidate. Early life James Edgar Swan was born on November 18, 1912, in the Sand Hill area of Cullman County ...
's backing band, including the single "Whoa Boy", which Trumpet issued later in 1952; the song became a regional hit in New Orleans. Following Williams's death, McDaniel wrote a song titled "A Tribute to Hank Williams, My Buddy"; Trumpet released the single with low fidelity mastering, and it did not sell well. He then moved to
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
and played with
Jack Cardwell Jack Cardwell (November 9, 1925 – October 22, 1993) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and disk jockey. Biography Cardwell was raised on a farm in Chapman, Alabama and was self-taught on guitar. He attended the Barton Academy an ...
, a star on local radio and television station WKAB. He became a regular on the "Tom 'N Jack" show, and in 1953 Cardwell's label, King Records, signed him. He recorded several singles for King, the most successful of which was "Drive In". On the strength of his releases on Trumpet and King, he was invited to play on the radio program ''
Louisiana Hayride ''Louisiana Hayride'' is a radio and later television country music show that was broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana; during its heyday from 1948 to 1960, it helped to launch the careers of some ...
''. He moved to New Orleans in 1954, where he also recorded for Mel-A-Dee Records. In 1956, he was persuaded by friends
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
and
Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...
to send a demo recording to
Sam Phillips Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) was an American disc jockey, songwriter and record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, R ...
, who signed him to his label
Sun Records Sun Records is an American independent record label founded by producer Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee on February 1, 1952. Sun was the first label to record Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Jo ...
. McDaniel recorded two sessions with Sun, but left the label over a contract dispute. None of the Sun sides were released until
Charly Records Charly Records is a British record label that specialises in reissued material. Among the labels whose original releases are reissued by Charly are Vee-Jay, Sun, Immediate, BYG, Tomato, and Fania. History Charly Records was founded in Fran ...
compiled them decades later. Following this, he signed with Big Howdy Records and released records under the name Jeff Daniel, but was unable to score a hit record under this name, either. He continued recording into the 1970s.


Legacy

Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texa ...
performed his song "Midnight Shift" (written under the pseudonym Earl Lee), and
The Byrds The Byrds () were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) being the so ...
covered his "You're Still on My Mind" on their album ''
Sweetheart of the Rodeo ''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'' is the sixth studio album by the American rock band the Byrds, released in August 1968 by Columbia Records. Recorded with the addition of country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, it became the first album widely recognized ...
''.
George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American Country music, country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and is well known for his distinctive voice an ...
and
Jim Reeves James Travis Reeves (August 20, 1923July 31, 1964) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. One of the earliest pioneers and practitioners of the Nashville sound, he played a central role in the sonic development of country music in th ...
also covered McDaniel's songs.


Discography


Singles

as Luke McDaniel or Luke McDaniels as Jeff Daniels


Compilation album

* 1996 – ''Daddy-O-Rock – The Rock And Country Sides Of: Luke McDaniel'', Hydra Records


References


External links


Luke McDaniel
at Hillbilly-Music.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:McDaniel, Luke American country singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Mississippi People from Laurel, Mississippi Trumpet Records artists King Records artists 1927 births 1992 deaths 20th-century American singer-songwriters Country musicians from Mississippi