Jimmy C. Newman

American Cajun-country singer, songwriter and guitarist

Jimmy C. Newman (the C stands for "Cajun") was born near Big Mamou, Louisiana, but spent most of his career in Nashville, Tennessee, due to his passion for country music. While he played in a Cajun band (Chuck Guillory And His Rhythm Boys) as a teenager, his early solo material has very little Cajun influences. It wasn't until the 1960s that he started integrating them into his music, and recorded "Alligator Man," which became his theme song at the Grand Ole Opry. In the late 1970s, when his commercial popularity declined he returned to Cajun music, forming Jimmy C. Newman And Cajun Country. In 1991, the band earned a Grammy Award nomination for their album, The Alligator Man.

Born: August 29, 1927 in Mamou, Louisiana, USA
Died: June 21, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA