Jim Nesbitt

James Nesbitt entered the world on 1 December 1931 in Bishopville, South Carolina, and left it on 29 November 2007, also in South Carolina. Although he handled straight country material capably, his reputation rested chiefly on half-spoken comedic routines and on his long-running stint as a disc jockey at WAGS Bishopville. He further gained local exposure through television appearances alongside Slim Mims And His Dream Ranch Boys. His recording career began in 1961 with “Please Mr Kennedy,” a talking piece set to the tune of “Ballad Of Davy Crockett.” Issued first on Country Jubilee and Ace Records, the single later reached number 11 on the Billboard country chart after Dot Records picked it up. A second release proved elusive until “Livin’ Offa Credit” climbed to number 28 in 1963.

Switching to Chart Records, Nesbitt achieved his strongest showing with “Lookin’ For More In ’64,” an election-themed track that logged 24 weeks on the charts and peaked at number 7. Annual sequels followed—“Still Alive In ’65” at number 34 and “Heck Of A Fix In ’66” at number 38—yet audience interest evidently waned, as “Clear The State In ’88” and “Having Fun In ’71” both missed the charts entirely. Across his career he accumulated 13 chart entries, among them “A Tiger In My Tank,” “The Friendly Undertaker,” and his final hit, the 1970 parody “Running Bare,” modeled on Johnny Preston’s “Running Bear.” In 1976 he released an album on Scorpion; afterward he largely withdrew from music. His contributions were recognized with induction into the South Carolina Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2000.