Life in the world of country music during the '40s, '50s and '60s was not for the faint of heart. Would-be stars toured and travelled for years, sometimes even decades, before reaching the first rung on the ladder of success. Jim Reeves is a good example of a country singer who slowly grafted his way to the top: it took almost ten years before he secured a half-decent record contract, and even when an occasional hit record came along he was still a long way from national or i

Just three days after the Carter Family auditioned for Ralph Peer in Bristol in August 1927, a seasoned entertainer by the name of Jimmie Rodgers also turned up with his guitar hoping to secure a contract for fame and fortune. He was Jimmie Rodgers, a railroad worker who spent much of his spare time singing and picking, and he felt sure that Mr Peer would recognise his talent. But whereas the Carters focused on heartfelt laments, Rodgers had a much wider repertoire, some of w