Jim Halsey stands next to the Roy Clark section of "Starmaker: Jim Halsey and the Legends of Country Music", exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center, back in 2010, in Oklahoma City. Photo by Bill Waugh/For the Tulsa World / file
Jim Halsey poses inside the "Starmaker: Jim Halsey and the Legends of Country Music", exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center in 2010 with many of the dozens of gold albums he's helped artists earn of the years. Photo by Bill Waugh/For the Tulsa World / file
Road trip!
Tulsa music impresario
Jim Halsey will get his own exhibit at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum, 1400 Classen Drive in Oklahoma City. It will be hosted in the Tulsa World Gallery.
The exhibit, "
Starmaker: Jim Halsey and the Legends of Country Music," first debuted in 2010 with an all-star opening at the Oklahoma History Center. It showcases the long and storied life of the music promoter and country music industry icon, featuring more than 60 years of memorabilia from his career.
Born in Independence in 1930, Halsey began promoting concerts while still in high school. He formed Jim Halsey Co. Talent Agency in 1951 in Oklahoma with his first client, Hank Thompson.
During his 60-year career, Halsey impacted the careers of many country and popular music figures including: Waylon Jennings, Reba McEntire, Minnie Pearl, Wanda Jackson, Clint Black, Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, Conway Twitty, Leon Russell, The Judds, Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, the Osmond Brothers, Tammy Wynette, Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys and many others.
At its height, the Jim Halsey Company was the largest country music agency in the world. He still works with musicians Roy Clark and the Oak Ridge Boys. He helped launch Wanda Jackson's career and was the first to take Roy Orbison's and Roy Clark's all-American sound behind the Iron Curtain as he took U.S. music abroad.
“Even in the late 1950s, we were pioneering Southeast Asia and the European markets with Wanda Jackson and Hank Thompson,” said Halsey in a press statement. “Our specialty was taking country music to locations and venues where it had never been presented before.”
Starmaker: Jim Halsey and the Legends of Country Music was produced by the Oklahoma History Center. The exhibit includes awards, gold and platinum albums presented to Halsey artists, historic photos, citations, posters, and stage clothing.
Also on display are guitars from Halsey’s collections signed by artists Roy Clark, Wanda Jackson, BB King, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Dylan, Jeff Beck, Rolling Stones, The Eagles, The Who, Eric Clapton and others.
It will be on display Jan. 18-April 5. An opening reception will be 5-7 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum. The reception is open to the public, free for Association and Museum members and $5 for nonmembers.
RSVP to Corie Baker at 405-523-3206 or clb@oklahomaheritage.com.
