Jimmy Work

Who is Jimmy Work?

Jimmy Work was an American country musician best known for the country standard "Making Believe".

Work was born in Ohio but moved to Dukedom, Tennessee with his family at age two. He picked up guitar at age seven, and learned fiddle and songwriting by his early teens.

By 1945, he had begun playing professionally in Pontiac, Michigan, where many Southerners had moved to take jobs in the automotive industry. He appeared on local radio and published a songbook late in the decade, in addition to recording two singles for the Trophy Records label. His third single was "Tennessee Border", for Alben Records; his version was not a hit, but the following year, the song became a hit for Red Foley, Bob Atcher, Jimmie Skinner, and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Hank Williams also recorded the tune, but didn't chart with it.

Work then signed with Decca Records in 1949 and that same year appeared for the first time on the Grand Ole Opry and on Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree. He recorded for Decca with members of Red Foley's band, but none of his Decca recordings were hits, and the label dropped him in 1950.