Jerry Naylor, born in Chalk Mountain, Texas, became the lead singer of The Crickets in 1960, after the untimely death of Buddy Holly. A 51-year veteran of the entertainment business, Naylor is an internationally recognized recording artist, performer, record producer, songwriter, radio and television personality, film and television producer, and Grammy nominated solo recording artist. With The Crickets, he recorded for Liberty/EMI Records and scored several hits including “Please Don’t Ever Change,” “My Little Girl” and “Teardrops Fall Like Rain.”
Jerry, who returned to a solo career in 1965, became a regular on the ABC Television music variety series Shindig in the mid-’60s and hosted the Desilu Productions nationally syndicated television series Music City USA from 1967-1968. As a solo artist he toured heavily from 1965-1982, performing 160-250 dates per year with his band in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. He scored a #5 pop hit with “But For Love” in 1970 and several country hits in the early ‘70s, including “Is This All There Is to a Honky Tonk.” He also hosted the nationally syndicated country music radio show, Continental Country, from 1974-1976.
In 1980, Jerry Naylor became the National Director of Special Events for Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Campaign and in 1985, Naylor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as a Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Employment Policy, ultimately serving two
3-year terms.
In 1987, Naylor produced an award winning PBS television special on Rajiv Gandhi, hosted by national columnist and television personality, Jack Anderson. He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2000 and the West Texas Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and is recognized in the prestigious “Who’s Who in Entertainment,” “Who’s Who in Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Who’s Who in Country Music” and “Who’s Who in America.”
