Jody "Endless Sleep" Reynolds died November 7th in Palm Desert, California.
A man who took his membership in the 50's one-hit wonder club in stride, Jody was a musician's musician and could shred (old-school style) with the best of 'em - whether he was onstage with Roy Orbison or runnin' around Hollywood with cats like Duane Eddy and Al Casey.
In the course of one of my attempts to satiate my obsessive desire for firsthand information on the early history of rock 'n' roll, I contacted Jody to bug him about the old days.
I found him to be open and generous, sharp and funny. Whether he was reminiscing about recording alongside Eddie Cochran and Ritchie Valens at Gold Star in '58, or talking about his experiences working with Alan Freed* in the 60's - he was a treasure trove of great stories. The guy made and lived rock 'n' roll history.
Jody was aware of and embraced his legacy, had a genuine passion for rock 'n' roll and was accessible to his fans. For people like me, deeply interested in the early days of rock 'n' roll, he was a National Treasure. His coolness cannot be overstated. Thanks Jody, and rest in peace.
* Freed left Jody his personal stash of 45s - ones that (I gather) he was spinning during his last couple of stints on the air (KDAY, WQAM). Jody gave me a few - they will always be among my most prized possessions.
For more on Jody Reynolds: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/JodyReynolds.html
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