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Luke McDaniel (February 3, 1927 – June 27, 1992), who also recorded under the stage name Jeff Daniels, was an American country and rockabilly music singer and songwriter. He was the grandfather of Mississippi state senator Chris McDaniel.
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (January 2020) |
Luke McDaniel | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Luke Jefferson McDaniel[1] |
| Born | February 3, 1927 Laurel, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | June 27, 1992 (aged 65) Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, guitarist |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1950–1970s |
| Labels | Trumpet, Meladee, Big Howdy, Astro, Big B, King |
McDaniel was born in Laurel, Mississippi and raised on a farm. He learned to play mandolin in high school, playing in local churches and public events. In 1945, he formed his own band, which opened for Hank Williams at a show in New Orleans in 1950.[1] In 1952, he auditioned for Trumpet Records, but was initially turned down for a recording session.[1] After Trumpet label head Lillian McMurry asked him to return with better songwriting material, he wrote "This Crying Heart", modeled after Williams's hit "Your Cheatin' Heart", which convinced McMurry to sign him for a recording contract.[1] He recorded three songs with Jimmy Swan's backing band, including the single "Whoa Boy", which Trumpet issued later in 1952; the song became a regional hit in New Orleans.[1] Following Williams's death, McDaniel wrote a song titled "A Tribute to Hank Williams, My Buddy"; Trumpet released the single with low fidelity mastering, and it did not sell well.[1]
He then moved to Mobile, Alabama and played with Jack Cardwell, a star on local radio and television station WKAB. He became a regular on the "Tom 'N Jack" show, and in 1953 Cardwell's label, King Records, signed him.[1] He recorded several singles for King, the most successful of which was "Drive In".[1] On the strength of his releases on Trumpet and King, he was invited to play on the radio program Louisiana Hayride.[1] He moved to New Orleans in 1954, where he also recorded for Mel-A-Dee Records.
In 1956, he was persuaded by friends Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins to send a demo recording to Sam Phillips, who signed him to his label Sun Records. McDaniel recorded two sessions with Sun, but left the label over a contract dispute. None of the Sun sides were released until Charly Records compiled them decades later.
Following this, he signed with Big Howdy Records and released records under the name Jeff Daniel, but was unable to score a hit record under this name, either. He continued recording into the 1970s.
Buddy Holly performed his song "Midnight Shift" (written under the pseudonym Earl Lee), and The Byrds covered his "You're Still on My Mind" on their album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. George Jones and Jim Reeves also covered McDaniel's songs.
Singles
as Luke McDaniel or Luke McDaniels
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Whoa, Boy! / No More | Trumpet Records |
| 1953 | A Tribute To Hank Williams, My Buddy / This Cryin’ Heart | Trumpet Records |
| 1953 | Drive On / Let Me Be A Souvenir | King Records |
| 1953 | I Can't Go / For Old Times Sake | King Records |
| 1954 | The Automobile Song / I Can't Steal Another's Bridge | King Records |
| 1954 | Honey Won't You Please Come Home / Crying My Heart Out For You | King Records |
| 1954 | Money Bag Woman / Hurts Me So | King Records |
| 1955 | One More Heart / Living in a House Of Sin | King Records |
as Jeff Daniels
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Daddy-O Rock / Hey Woman! | Meladee Records |
| 1959 | Switch Blade Sam / You’re Still on My Mind | Big Howdy Records |
| 1959 | Uh-Huh-Huh / Table For Two | Big B Records |
| 1960 | Foxy Dan / Some Day You’ll Remember | Astro Records |
| 197? | Uh-Huh-Huh / Table For Two | Big Howdy Records |
| 197? | Foxy Dan / Bye Bye Baby | Big Howdy Records |
| 197? | Hard Luck / Johnny's | Big Howdy Records |
| 197? | I Tried / I’m Tired Of These Country Ways | Big Howdy Records |
| 197? | Switch Blade Sam / You’re Still on My Mind | Big Howdy Records |
|
Sun Records (not issued) | |
|
Sun Records (not issued) |
Compilation album
- 1996 – Daddy-O-Rock – The Rock And Country Sides Of: Luke McDaniel, Hydra Records
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