Jim Halsey is an American artist manager, agent and impresario. He and his staff have guided, promoted or managed the careers of numerous prominent U.S. entertainers - particularly country music stars - including 29 inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame and 10 inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[1][2][3]
Halsey has organized and presented country music performances, particularly in the central U.S., but also on the coasts and abroad.[3] His 1976 tour, presenting Roy Clark and the Oak Ridge Boys in the Soviet Union, won praise both culturally and in diplomatic circles. Clark's return tour of the USSR in 1988 was the subject of a television documentary. The booking agency division of the Jim Halsey Company, Inc., was sold to the William Morris Agency in 1990; Halsey remained a consultant for several years.[6]
Jim Halsey was born in Independence, Kansas to Harry E. Halsey Jr. and Carrie Lee (Messick) Halsey. He attended Washington School, junior and senior high school and Independence Junior College. At age twelve, Halsey organized the Junior Marines (ages 9–12) to stimulate war bond sales. They drilled every Saturday at Washington School. Dues were 2 cents per member.[citation needed]
A few years later, Halsey formulated his goals after absorbing the story of the noted impresario Sol Hurok, in his book Impresario. In October 1949, following a vision from a book report assignment on the life of Hurok, junior college student Halsey was inspired to present shows and dances at Memorial Hall and the Independence area. His first show/dance, Leon McAuliffe was the beginning of promotions that would include big band concerts, Broadway shows, classical music presentations, wrestling, ice shows and circuses.[1][2]
In December 1951, Halsey founded the Jim Halsey Co. talent agency with first client Hank Thompson and his Brazos Valley Boys, subsequently discovering and adding Wanda Jackson (1956) and Roy Clark (1959),[2] eventually maintaining a roster of 40 to 50 stars.
Halsey has organized and presented country music performances all over the world, in many places for the first time. His 1976 tour of the Soviet Union headlining Roy Clark and the Oak Ridge Boys won praise both culturally and in diplomatic circles. Halsey's efforts expanded country music into Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
From 1994 to 1999, Halsey created and served as director of the award-winning Music and Entertainment Business Program at Oklahoma City UniversityinOklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is a Visiting Professor at HED Music CollegeinYehud, Israel, and lectures and teaches extensively at other colleges and universities around the world. He wrote his first book and seminar series, How To Make It In The Music Business. In March 2010, he launched the Jim Halsey Institute of Music and Entertainment Business, an undergraduate music business program at Independence Community College.[8]
In 1987, Halsey's company teamed with entertainment industry magazine Billboard to produce the annual Billboard World Song Festival (later the Billboard/Starmaker Worldwide Song Contest), a song-writing competition for amateur composers of country, pop/rock, black, jazz, Latin, and gospel music, with medals and cash prices awarded in each of those categories, in a televised program.[9] Categories for world, rhythm & blues and rap music were added later, the category "black" deleted, and the "pop" and "rock" categories were separated.[citation needed] Merchandise was added to the awards.[citation needed] The program is co-sponsored by Sonicbids, Disc Makers, Casio, GoGirlsMusic.com, D'Addario Strings, TAXI, Indie Band Manager and BluBlocker Sunglasses.[citation needed]
1987 - The Frédéric Chopin Medal presented by PAGART (The Polish Artists Bureau)
1986 - Commendation for Outstanding Leadership in Promoting World Peace and Harmony through the Medium of Visual and Performing Arts from the Mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley
Halsey is the father of the late director/producer Sherman Halsey and is married to Minisa Crumbo, daughter of American Indian artist Woody Crumbo.[24]
"Joe Allison," First person interview (apparently) conducted on January 1, 1970, with Joe Allison (country music radio personality, publishing and recording executive, and songwriter), with his recollections of working with Halsey.
