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Nervous Norvus, born Jimmy Drake on March 24, 1912, in Memphis, was a truck driver who aspired to be a songwriter. He later moved to California, where he lived until his passing on July 24, 1968, at the age of 56 due to cirrhosis of the liver. To supplement his income, Drake set up a home studio and offered to record songs for amateur songwriters through an ad in a music paper. With the help of radio personality Red Blanchard, he recorded the hit single "Transfusion" in 1956 under the name Nervous Norvus for the Dot label. This success was followed by another hit, "Ape Call." However, Drake declined an invitation to perform "Transfusion" on the Ed Sullivan show due to his shyness. His third single, "The Fang," flopped, leading to his departure from the label and a return to his home music service. Although he released more singles on various small indie labels, none gained significant traction. In 2004, a CD anthology titled "Stone Age Woo: The Zorch Sounds of Nervous Norvus" was released on the Norton label, compiling 33 recordings made by Drake under both his name and as Nervous Norvus.

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