Aug. 2, 1964 - Famed country music singer Jim Reeves, known as “Gentleman Jim,” and a companion were found dead today in the charred wreckage of a small private plane in a wooded area near Brentwood, Tenn.
Reeves’ body, according to medical examiner W.J. Core, was identified by a driver’s license in a wallet found in the wreckage.
The other victim was identified as Reeves’ piano player-road manager, Dean Manuel. Officials said Reeves, 39, who piloted the plane, and Manuel, 30, were returning from a business trip to Batesville, Ark., when the crash occurred during a thunderstorm Friday afternoon.
The wreckage was found today by Bob Newton, a member of the Davidson County Civil Defense rescue team, who was searching the wooded area east of Franklin Road near Baxter Lane.
Core said Reeves’ body was thrown 30 feet from the impact area, while the other victim’s body was still in the plane.
The discovery of the wreckage ended a 44-hour search over more than 20 square miles of the area near Brentwood. Some 2,000 searchers combed the rugged terrain during the two-day hunt.
Many country music stars live in the general area where the plane crashed, and they aided in the search. Bill Pursell, Eddy Arnold, Chet Atkins, Ernest Tubb, Stonewall Jackson, and Marty Robbins were among those hunting for the wreckage.
Reeves turned to music when he suffered an arm injury in spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
The former “Grand Ole Opry” star recorded a number of popular songs, including “Four Walls,” “He’ll Have To Go,” and “Mexican Joe.”
He recently was the star of a movie, “Kimberly Jim,” filmed in South Africa and just released in this country.
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