Jimmie Rodgers sang this honey of a song
This week in 1957: 22 nations backed a U.S. proposal to limit outer space to peaceful purposes only; U.S. failed in three attempts to fire a rocket 4,000 miles into space for altitude mark; Britain’s Queen Elizabeth was welcomed to Washington as she arrived for a State visit; and a singer from Camas, Washington, topped the pop and country music charts with a song about the sweetness and fragility of love – which likened it to a honeycomb.
“Honeycomb” was written by Bob Merrill, who authored many successful tunes during the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Rodgers said he loved the song the first time he heard it because of the song’s melody and he thought the general public would also love the song – which they did. “Honeycomb” was well received by both the public and by music critics.
The Roulette Records single came
on the country charts October 14th, 1957 and peaked at No. 7. It was his first country chart song and was on the charts for 13 weeks.
“Honeycomb” had already made the pop music charts and was in the top slot on September 30th, 1957 and stayed there for two weeks.
The hit record opened many more doors for Rodgers, including his own weekly NBC-TV series and a starring role in the movie “The Little Shepard of Kingdom Come.”
Rodgers’ recording career included 11 singles on the country music charts between 1957 and 1979, six of which also scored on the pop charts.
Rodgers later filed a $11 million lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles as a result of a broken wrist suffered by an assault by two uniformed police officers after they stopped him for a traffic violation. He was later found unconscious in his car. Courts later ruled that his injuries were the result of a fall.
Rodgers underwent three major surgeries and had a steel plate inserted in his head. After months of rehab, he returned to performing in January 1969.
Jimmie Rodgers died in January 2021 at age 87.