Macon, Uncle Dave, 1870-1952

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David Harrison Macon (October 7, 1870 – March 22, 1952), known professionally as Uncle Dave Macon, was an American old-time banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Known as "The Dixie Dewdrop", Macon was known for his chin whiskers, plug hat, gold teeth, and gates-ajar collar; he gained regional fame as a vaudeville performer in the early 1920s before becoming the first star of the Grand Ole Opry in the latter half of the decade.

Macon's music is considered the ultimate bridge between 19th-century American folk and vaudeville music and the phonograph and radio-based music of the early 20th-century. Music historian Charles Wolfe wrote, "If people call yodelling Jimmie Rodgers 'the father of country music,' then Uncle Dave must certainly be 'the grandfather of country music'." Macon's polished stage presence and lively personality have made him one of the most enduring figures of early country music.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Southern Folklife Collection Artist Name File, 1940-2005 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
contributorOf Uncle Dave Macon Collection Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State University
referencedIn Ed Kahn Collection, 1930-1999 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
referencedIn Charles K. Wolfe Collection Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State University
referencedIn Meade, Guthrie T., 1932-1991. Guthrie T. Meade collection, 1817-1991. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Butcher, Dwight, 1911-. John Edwards memorial collection, n.d. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Blackley, Becky. Becky Blackley collection, 1871-1995. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Burton, Thomas G. Burton-Manning Collection, 1960-1989, 1967-1972. East Tennessee State University, TET
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bailey, DeFord, 1899-1982 person
associatedWith Blackley, Becky. person
memberOf Country Music Hall of Fame corporateBody
memberOf Grand Ole Opry (Radio show : Nashville, Tn.) corporateBody
associatedWith Kahn, Ed. person
associatedWith Meade, Guthrie T., 1932-1991. person
associatedWith Wolfe, Charles K. person
employeeOf WSM (Radio station : Nashville, Tenn.) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Murfreesboro TN US
McMinnville TN US
Subject
Occupation
Musicians
Performer
Activity

Person

Birth 1870-10-07

Death 1952-03-22

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 88096273