Jody Reynolds

Jody Reynolds scored a million-selling single in 1958 titled "Endless Sleep," an early model for death rock standards such as Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Love Her" and Mark Dinning's "Teen Angel." That year also produced Reynolds' final chart entry, the track "Fire of Love." Though additional hits never materialized, the strength of that lone success guaranteed his 1999 induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Tru Gems Records marked the occasion by releasing a double-CD anthology of his recordings that included guest appearances by Bobbie Gentry, Jimmy Bryant, and further contributors.

Reynolds entered the world in Colorado in 1932 and spent his childhood in Oklahoma. Guitar lessons began in his early teens amid a growing attachment to the Western swing approach of Hank Thompson, Bob Wills, and Eddy Arnold. He formed the Storms in 1952. Three years afterward he had reached Texas, where he performed rockabilly, attended a Roy Orbison concert, and absorbed the work of Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley.

Hollywood music publisher Herb Montei initially rejected Reynolds' demo submissions. Once Montei heard "Endless Sleep," however, he took on management of the singer and set up a session for Demon Records. Reynolds completed the song in a single afternoon during 1956 in Yuma, AZ. Writing credits on several numbers, among them "Endless Sleep," name Dolores Nance, yet the name served as a pseudonym Reynolds employed.

Reynolds and the Storms later cut a honky-tonk instrumental, "Thunder," for Indigo, with "Tarantula" on the opposite side. He issued "Stormy" on Smash Records backed by "Don't Jump." For Brent he taped "Raggedy Ann," produced by Alan Freed. "Fire of Love" later surfaced in motion pictures, among them the French release Doctor Chance.

Reynolds stayed with the Storms through the 1960s. The following decade brought a retreat from the spotlight. He made his home in Palm Springs, CA, where he works in real estate.