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Jackey Beavers was born and raised in Cartersville, Georgia, and Christened Robert L Beavers. It was from here that he joined the US Airforce straight from High School. During his stint in the Service he was stationed at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, and it just happened that one of the regular features of the camp club was a talent competition. Whilst Jackey regularly won the competition, the ones he didn’t win were won by a gentleman called Johnny Bristol. Recognising an opportunity the two soon joined forces and began performing as a duo, named Johnny & Jackie. Regular appearances at the El Grotto Lounge in Battle Creek (Where the house band was led by Junior Walker) led to them signing for Anna Records, and being managed by Gwen Gordy. Two releases followed for the label, and although neither were hits, they sold enough copies for Gwen Gordy to retain them as artists when Anna Records closed and Anna started Tri-Phi Records with Harvey Fuqua. Again, several releases followed, and certainly the duo had no problem gaining live work. It was their second release on Tri-Phi that was to have the most impact though, even though it was the duo’s biggest hit, but not at the time it was recorded by Johnny & Jackey !
Two releases followed in 1965, the first ‘Jack-a-Rue’ being a moderate hit. Sadly the second failed to make the charts and Checker Records didn’t continue with any further recordings. Label hopping through the next few years Jackey Beavers achieved very little commercial success as an artist. However, he recorded some wonderfulsongs that he wrote himself, particularly his solo release for Revilot ‘Love That Never Grows Old’ which is now recognized as classic Detroit ‘Northern Soul’. In total, Jackey Beavers registered in excess of a hundred songs with BMI, and they were recorded by a huge number of different artists.
Moving
on, Jackey found himself at
Nashville’s Sound Stage 7 Records, as not just a recording
artist, but also a producer. He also worked at the famed
WLAC Radio station. There was also a period where Jackey joined and toured with The Continental Showstoppers, although no recordings were made during this time. Eventually though, a lack of commercial success as an artist meant that Jackey moved back to Cartersville.
Returning to College, Jackey Beavers earned his degree and became an ordained Minister, originally at the New Hope Baptist Church and later at the Glory Harvester Church. It was whilst at the Glory Harvester Church that his interest in music resurfaced and he recorded several Gospel albums on the Glory label in the 1980’s. Throughout this period Jackey also maintained a healthy interest in local politics, and in particular the welfare of prisoners, and worked as Executive Assistant to Joe Frank Harris, the Governor of Georgia, for eight years, Executive Assistant to Bobby Whitworth, the Commissioner of Georgia's Department of Corrections, for three years, and aide to Tom Murphy, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, for seven years. Jackey Beavers also wrote a column for the Cartersville Daily Tribune News for many years. Sadly, as reported by his own paper, he passed away on October 28th, 2008. Discography
Johnny & Jackey
(Johnny Bristol & Jackey Beavers)
Sound
Plus 2104 - Someone (Bigger Than You Or Me) / La La La (Can
You Feel It) - 1972
The New
Atlanta Gospel Sound Featuring Evangelist Robert L “Jackey”
Beavers LPs Rev. Robert Jackey Beavers
Gospel
Roots 5006 – The Inspired – 1977
Glory
100 - Refreshing 1986
Glory
1003 - We Are Gods Children - 1988
Glory ?
– Something Old Something New - ? |
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