Biography
Jack Rhodes was born in 1908 in Van Zandt County, Texas. Little is known about his early childhood except that he never completed school. It has been rumored that he only made it through the third grade. Like many school-age children during that period, he quit to help support his family. During World War II, he worked in the Houston, Texas shipyards, where he eventually injured his back in a fall and, as a result, began songwriting.
Rhodes owned a café in Grand Saline, Texas, and later opened The Trail 80 Motor Courts, a gas station and restaurant in Mineola, Texas.
Leon Payne (Rhodes' step-brother) wrote "I Love You Because", which has been covered by — among others — Elvis Presley (Elvis Presley LP, 1956), Al Martino (Billboard Hot 100 #3, 1963), Jim Reeves (UK Singles Chart #5, 1964), Johnny Cash, Matt Monro and Slim Whitman.
Rhodes' first wife's name was Lucille, although the date of their marriage is unknown. They had three sons, called Bobby, Billy Jack and Don, and a daughter, Wanda. Bobby was killed while crossing traffic as a young boy.
Rhodes divorced Lucille in the mid to early 1950s, and in 1955 married Loretta Williams. They had one son, Buddy, in 1956.
In October 1968, Jack Rhodes died of a heart attack.
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