Jimmy Copeland and the Texas Kids WTAW Bryan-College Station, TX

About The Artist Jimmy Copeland and the Texas Kids got their start back in 1956 or so. Their popularity enabled them to get their own show over WMUR-TV out of Manchester New Hampshire. The show aired every Thursday night from 10:30pm to 11:00pm. A Country Song Roundup article in late 1956 indicated that Jimmy had his own show at 2:30pm Monday through Friday. As one might expect, they did many personal appearances, including the ranches and other venues in the New England area. In 1957, an article reported that they had a new Saturday evening television show on CHLT-TV, Channel 7, out of Sherbrooke, Canada. Jimmy was originally from the town of Flynn, Texas. He got his musical career started at an early age, working with three uncles who had formed a group, learning to play the drums, guitar and string bass along the way. After high school, Jimmy attended Baylor University and was a featured vocalist over the campus radio station, WTAW. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper, but his musical talents got the attention of the brass and soon he was assigned to Special Services at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he spent the remainder of his service duty entertaining in Tennessee and Kentucky. It was after leaving the service that he decided to head to the New England area and Gardner, Massachusetts to make a go of it as an entertainer. At that time, he was heading up a group called the Valley Playboys who had appeared many times on the popular WMUR-TV show "Guest House". Timeline & Trivia Notes Group Members, circa 1957: Jimmy Copeland, vocals Bill Saulnier, steel guitar Mike Lore, guitar and vocals Rocky Carroll, fiddle Ernie Leger, drums Credits and Sources Country Song Roundup; No. 47; December 1956; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT Cowboy Songs No. 50; February 1957; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT