Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost

Tony Russell

Oxford University Press, Nov 15, 2007 - Music - 280 pages

Graced by more than 200 illustrations, many of them seldom seen and some never before published, this sparkling volume offers vivid portraits of the men and women who created country music, the artists whose lives and songs formed the rich tradition from which so many others have drawn inspiration. Included here are not only such major figures as Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole, and Gene Autry, who put country music on America's cultural map, but many fascinating lesser-known figures as well, such as Carson Robison, Otto Gray, Chris Bouchillon, Emry Arthur and dozens more, many of whose stories are told here for the first time. To map some of the winding, untraveled roads that connect today's music to its ancestors, Tony Russell draws upon new research and rare source material, such as contemporary newspaper reports and magazine articles, internet genealogy sites, and his own interviews with the musicians or their families. The result is a lively mix of colorful tales and anecdotes, priceless contemporary accounts of performances, illuminating social and historical context, and well-grounded critical judgment. The illustrations include artist photographs, record labels, song sheets, newspaper clippings, cartoons, and magazine covers, recreating the look and feel of the entire culture of country music. Each essay includes as well a playlist of recommended and currently available recordings for each artist. Finally, the paperback edition now features an extensive index.

Contents

• A C Eck Robertson: 1
• Fiddlin John Carson: 3
• Henry Whitter: 7
• Ernest V Stoneman: 9
• Uncle Dave Macon: 12
• Vernon Dalhart: 14
• Fiddlin Powers: 16
• Charlie Poole: 19
• Kelly Harrell: 21
• Da Costa Woltzs Southern Broadcasters: 23
• Uncle Jimmy Thompson: 25
• Dr Humphrey Bate: 28
• Sam McGee: 31
• Gid Tanner: 32
• Riley Puckett: 36
• Clayton McMichen: 39
• Lowe Stokes: 44
• Earl Johnson: 46
• John Dilleshaw: 48
• Georgia Yellow Hammers: 51
• South Georgia Highballers: 55
• The Cofer Brothers: 57
• Dock Boggs: 59
• Frank Hutchison: 60
• Tom Darby Jimmie Tarlton: 63
• The Carter Family: 65
• Jimmie Rodgers: 68
• The Great Divide: 71
• The Allen Brothers: 72
• Fleming Townsend: 74
• Chris Bouchillon: 77
• Ed Haley: 79
• Clark Kessinger: 81
• Blind Alfred Reed: 83
• Roy Harvey: 85
• Walter Smith: 87
• Asa Martin: 90
• Dick Burnett: 92
• John D Foster: 94
• Emry Arthur: 96
• Alfred G Karnes: 98
• Buell Kazee: 100
• Raymond Render: 102
• G B Grayson: 105
• Clarence Tom Ashley: 107
• Carolina Tar Heels: 109
• Carolina Twins: 111
• The Red Fox Chasers: 113
• Bascom Lamar Lunsford: 114
• Leake County Revelers: 116
• Narmour Smith: 118
• Hoyt Ming: 120
• Dr Smiths Champion Hoss Hair Pullers: 122
• Fiddlin Bob Larkan: 124
• Golden Melody Boys: 126
• Walter Coon: 128
• Jules Verne Allen: 130
• Powder River Jack Lee: 132
• The Cartwright Brothers: 135
• Harry Mac McClintock: 137
• Goebel Reeves: 139
• John I White: 141
• Bernard Slim Smith: 143
• Carson Robison: 145
• Frank Luther: 150
• Otto Gray His Oklahoma Cowboys: 152
• Country Music in Transition: 155
• Gene Autry: 157
• Jimmie Davis: 160
• Cliff Carlisle: 163
• Bill Cox: 166
• Mac Bob: 169
• Bradley Kincaid: 171
• The Girls of the Golden West: 173
• Wilf Carter: 175
• Hank Snow: 176
• The Radio Years: 178
• Lulu Belle Scotty: 180
• Patsy Montana: 182
• Lily May Ledford: 184
• J E Mainer: 187
• The Dixon Brothers: 189
• The Callahan Brothers: 190
• Claude Casey: 192
• Snuffy Jenkins: 194
• Roy Acuff: 195
• Ramblin Red Lowery: 198
• The Delmore Brothers: 199
• Lonnie Glosson: 201
• Grandpa Jones: 203
• Carl Swanson: 205
• Western Swing and Honkytonk: 207
• Milton Brown: 208
• Bob Wills: 210
• The Light Crust Doughboys: 212
• Adolph Hofner: 215
• Cliff Bruner: 216
• Hank Penny: 219
• Bob Skyles His Skyrockets: 220
• The Swift Jewel Cowboys: 222
• Johnnie Lee Wills: 225
• Ted Daffan: 227
• Hoyle Nix: 230
• Rex Griffin: 231
• Buddy Jones: 232
• Al Dexter: 235
• Floyd Tillman: 237
• Ernest Tubb: 238
• Johnny Bond: 240
• Red River Dave McEnery: 242
• Leo Soileau: 243
• Harry Choates: 246
• Molly ODay: 248
• Rose Maddox: 249
• Bibliography: 252
• Index of Names: 258
• Index of Songs: 267

About the author

Tony Russell is a music historian who has written on country music, blues, jazz, and other forms of popular music in a wide variety of publications and has researched, written, and presented many musical programs for BBC Radio. He lives in London.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost
• Author: Tony Russell
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2007
• ISBN: 0198043589, 9780198043584
• Length: 280 pages
• Subjects: Music / Discography & Buyer's Guides; Music / Genres & Styles / Country & Bluegrass