Jimmy Boyd Born:  January 9, 1940 Died:  March 7, 2009 Hollywood Walk of Fame (1960)

About The Artist Jimmy Boyd became a bit of a young teen age sensation when about the age of 13 he had the hit recording of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" that was released during the holiday season and 1952. Reportedly it sold more than 225,000 copies in less than two weeks. Jimmy is a native of McComb, Mississippi, but by 1953, his family and he were living in California. He got his start when he was just seven, singing western songs at local programs, school plays, social meetings and banquets. He was accompanied by his dad usually, who played guitar and harmonica. One of California's cowboy singers at the time, Texas Jim Lewis heard Jimmy's singing and took an immediate liking to him and had him sing with his show for over a year. Soon, his dad gave Jimmy guitar lessons so he could do his own guitar accompaniment. His brother, Kenneth, had some steel guitar expertise and together, the two of them would do appearances on the local radio and television stations. Jimmy then took part in a talent show that was on the Al Jarvis show, then a popular daily program in Hollywood over KLAC-TV. Jimmy won the contest and as part of his prize, won a week's worth of appearances that garned a lot of fan mail. That got him an appearance on the Frank Sinatra CBS television show. An article in 1953 quotes Jimmy as saying about Mr. Sinatra's singing, "He had a good voice—especially when he sings sorta a Western tune." Sinatra was said to have cracked after observing Jimmy go through the hectic nerve-wracking experience of television rehearsals rather non-chalantly, "Nervous, isn't he?" That appearance on the Sinatra show came with other offers in Hollywood, movies, television and the Columbia recording contract that led to his recording his hit holiday tune. The flip side of that holiday tune was a song called "Thumbelina" from the film that was out at the time, "Hans Christian Anderson". Credits & Sources Country Song Roundup No. 23; April 1953; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

Columbia
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
21571	A	Rockin' Down The Mississippi
21571	B	Crazy Mixed Up Blues
39696	A	God's Little Candles
39696	B	Owl Lullaby
39733	A	Little Train A Chuggin' In My Heart
39733	B	Needle In, Needle Out
39871	A	I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
39871	B	Thumbellina
39927	A	Early Bird
39927	B	I'll Stay In The House
39955	A	Two Easter Sunday Sweethearts
39955	B	My Bunny And My Sister Sue
40007	A	Playmates
40007	B	Shoo Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy
40049	A	God Bless Us All
40049	B	Marco, The Polo Pony
40069	A	Poor Little Piggy Bank (w/Frankie Laine)
40069	B	Let's Go Fishing (w/Frankie Laine)
40070	A	Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
40070	B	I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
40071	A	Here Comes Santa Claus
40071	B	Winter Wonderland
40072	A	Silent Night
40072	B	Frosty The Snowman
40073	A	Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
40073	B	Little Match Girl
40080	A	Santa Got Stuck In The Chimney
40138	A	I've Got Those Wake Up . . Blues
40138	B	Jelly On My Head
40181	A	Little Bonnie Bunny
40181	B	Jimmy Roll Me Gently
40218	B	I'm So Glad
40253	A	Shepherd Boy
40253	B	Ma I Miss Your Apple Pie
40305	A	Little White Duck
40305	B	Little Sir Echo
40366	A	I Saw Mommy Do The Mambo
40366	B	Santa Claus Blues
40504	A	I Want A Haircut With A Moon On Top
40504	B	How Come
40601	A	Reindeer Rock
40601	B	A Kiss For Christmas
40756	A	Little Dog
40756	B	Don't Forget To Say Your Prayers
40881	A	Gonna' Take My Baby On A Hayride
40881	B	I Wanna' Go Steady
90174	A	I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
90174	B	Thumbelina
RCA Victor
Rec. No.	Side	Song Title
20-4263	A	Boogie Woogie Square Dance
20-4263	B	Texas Moon Waltz