Jerry Irby, born Gerald Irby on October 20, 1917, in New Braunfels, Texas, was an influential American country singer and songwriter. Raised by his wealthy grandmother, Irby's early life belied his later claims of struggling with just a guitar and a few songs. In 1933, he moved to Houston, where he began playing in honky-tonks and, in 1936, formed a duo with Ted Daffan. Their partnership ended in 1938 when Daffan joined the Bar X Cowboys, and Irby briefly led his Serenaders in Beaumont.

In 1940, with financial support from his grandmother, Irby opened Jerry’s Country Palace, but it closed in 1941. He then became the vocalist for the Bar X Cowboys. By 1945, while still with the Cowboys, Irby recorded solo for Gulf Records, achieving regional success with "Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin." He later left the Cowboys due to disagreements over his solo recordings with Globe Records and formed his own band, the Texas Ranchers. Irby recorded with several labels, including Mercury, Imperial, and 4 Star, before joining MGM Records in 1948. His songs, such as "Roses Have Thorns," were recorded by notable artists like Bob Wills and Bill Boyd.

In 1948, Irby opened the Texas Corral Nite Club but sold it in the early 1950s due to financial difficulties and personal struggles. He briefly left music to pursue farming, which was unsuccessful. By 1955, Irby returned to Houston and recorded "Tangled Mind" for Ted Daffan's label, which became a hit. Despite forming a new band and recording again, he did not regain his former success and left music in the 1960s to assist his wife with a beauty salon. After their divorce, he returned to performing around 1971, remarried, and became an evangelist in 1973, recording gospel music and adapting some of his earlier songs with religious themes. In 1977, Irby hosted a popular television program in Houston. His recordings for Daffan were later included in Bear Family Records' 1995 release, "The Daffan Records."

Jerry Irby passed away on December 2, 1983, leaving behind a legacy as a traditional country music artist known for his vocals and guitar skills.