▁not ▁of ▁his ▁usual ▁high ▁vocal ▁standard . ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁trans cri ptions ▁for ▁McG reg or ▁were ▁po ems ▁read ▁to ▁a ▁str um ming ▁guitar , ▁just ▁before ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁W obb lies ▁( the ▁Indust rial ▁Work ers ▁of ▁the ▁World ). ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁Re e ves ▁was ▁semi - ret ired ▁in ▁Bell ▁Gard ens , ▁a ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁sub urb . ▁He ▁lived ▁completely ▁alone , ▁having ▁lost ▁touch ▁with ▁family ▁and ▁friends . ▁ ▁Death ▁Go e ble ▁Re e ves ▁died ▁of ▁a ▁heart ▁attack ▁in ▁Long ▁Beach ▁V eter ans ▁Hospital , ▁aged ▁ 5 9 ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁ ▁Style ▁and ▁legacy ▁Re e ves ▁had ▁a ▁musical ▁style ▁that ▁res emble d ▁that ▁of ▁" the ▁Sing ing ▁B rak eman " ▁J imm ie ▁Rod gers , ▁including ▁y od eling ▁and ▁lyr ics ▁about ▁life ▁on ▁the ▁road . ▁ ▁Re e ves ▁claimed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁taught ▁Rod gers ▁how ▁to ▁y odel ▁as ▁they ▁tra ve led ▁together ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s . ▁ ▁A ▁sampling ▁of ▁the ▁Texas ▁Dr if ter ' s ▁record ings ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁on ▁the ▁third ▁CD ▁of ▁a ▁four - CD ▁set ▁released ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁S ounds ▁Like ▁J imm ie ▁Rod gers , ▁on ▁which ▁Re e ves ▁s ings ▁ 1 9 ▁songs . ▁N ine