Meet Jimmy Reliford from Discovery’s ‘Backyard Oil’

Jimmy Reliford, star of the new Discovery series Backyard Oil, bleeds Kentucky. The man with the plan has been finding success in the lucrative oil business for decades. Well respected among his competitors, Reliford works alongside an unusual character known as Mad Dog (real name: Brent Yates). Together they travel throughout the state, looking for opportunities to drill, baby, drill.

Reliford has done a lot in life, and now he can add reality TV star to his long résumé.

“We’ve had a really big time doing this show, and we’ve all enjoyed it,” he said recently during a phone interview. “And we’ve had a great time, and I think that’s what’s made it such a great show.”

After a quick introduction with the creative team at Discovery Channel, Reliford found himself one of several subjects highlighted in the Kentucky oil show. Each week, the series follows a number of hopeful locals looking to strike black gold in their backyard. Many times, the digs go bust, but when the digging goes right, the show’s cast of oil men blink dollar signs.

For Reliford, the lifestyle has become second nature. “[In 1974], we hit and then we drilled another one and hit, and we drilled three in a row and hit,” he said. “So I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Backyard Oil, which airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m., highlights two coveted “L” words: luck and leases. “Well, you’ve got to have some luck in anything you do, and you’ve got to have good leases to grow on also,” Reliford said.

Giving a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes filmmaking process, Reliford said he corralled his customers so the TV team could find the best “cast.”

“And the first day, I brought in like 20 some in, and it was too many,” he said. “And they only got through five or six, but we had to cut it down to five, six, seven a day. They picked the cast, Discovery did.”

The formula of highlighting the oil men and their customers has paid off. Reliford now answers calls from interested parties located around the country. “And it’s going to really help us in Kentucky. I’ve had people call me from all over the United States. They want to come here, buy land and drill on it. And it’s going to really help us; it sure is. I had a call from Puerto Rico yesterday.”

When talking with Reliford, it would seem everything about the business was easy, but digging for oil can be expensive and frustrating. “The toughest part of the oil business is hitting the oil well, I guess,” he said. “We used to hit one maybe out of 10. I’d say it’s more like one out of 15 or 20 today, unless you’re drilling in a field. You know, you might hit 10 in a row if you hit a new oil field or something like that. The tough part is hitting oil; it sure is.”

Reliford has had success in Kentucky, but he said working in Tennessee is “pretty rough” because of added regulations, adding that it’s in a state’s interest to have companies digging for the black gold. “Because the more oil we hit, the more money the state gets out of it,” he said. “So it helps everybody. It helps the landowners, the refineries. When you hit an oil well, it helps the electric companies, the supply companies, the cement companies.”

Maybe Backyard Oil will make things easier; maybe the show will make things tougher. A lot of people are tuning in to see these men get rich.

“I’m getting too many calls from people all over the United States. Texas is a big fan of our show — all over Texas. We’ve got a lot of calls from there, or really all over the United States. It just seems like everybody loves our show.”

But Reliford is quick to point out that he doesn’t see the other characters on the show as competition. “I go my way, and they go their ways. Maybe sometimes we’ll be in on stuff, but the high bidder gets it or whatever, you know. … The more people you got drilling for oil, the more action it is, the better it is for everybody.”

Plus, this Kentucky man is in for the long haul. Almost 40 years ago, he found success with his first three wells. Reliford said those original digs are still producing for him this many years later. “And I own 1,100 acres around the wells,” he said. “In fact, now I own the wells, the land, and everything all around it. Sure do.”

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Backyard Oil airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on Discovery Channel. Click here for more information.