Southern Folklife Collection song folios, circa 1882-1983.

Foley, Red, 1910-1968

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Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the genre, selling more than 25 million records. His 1951 hit, "Peace in the Valley", was among the first million-selling gospel records. A Grand Ole Opry veteran until his death, Foley also hosted the first popular country music series on network television, Ozar...

Williams, Hank, 1923-1953

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Hank Williams (b. September 17, 1923, Mt. Olive, AL–d. January 1, 1953, Oak Hill, WV) was an American singer-songwriter. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously). Born in Mount Olive, Butler County, Alabama, Williams relocated to Georgiana with his family, where he met Rufus Payne. Payne had a major influence on Williams' later musical style, along with Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb. The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists and have been hits in vari...

Wills, Bob, 1905-1975

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James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although Spade Cooley self-promoted the moniker "King of Western Swing" from 1942 to 1969). He was also noted for punctuating his music with his trademark "ah-haa" calls. Wills formed several bands and played radio stations around the South and West until he forme...

AFL-CIO

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The AFL and CIO merged in 1955 as an umbrella organization for skilled trade and industrial unions. Its regional office in Baltimore represented worker interests against this railroad merger. From the description of AFL-CIO response to merger of Pennsylvania and New York Central railroads, 1962-1963. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 238572652 Created by merger of American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1955. ...

Autry, Gene, 1907-1998

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Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning style on radio, in films, and on television for more than three decades beginning in the early 1930s. Autry was the owner of a television station, several radio stations in Southern California, and the Los Angeles/California Angels Major League Baseball team from 19...

Arnold, Eddy, 1918-2008

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Country music performer. Born May 15, 1918. Career active 1940s-1980s. Joined Pee Wee King's Golden West Cowboys as a featured singer in 1940. Began a solo career in 1943. Career record sales number in the millions. Notable hits include "Bouquet of Roses" (1948), "Cattle Call" (1955), "What's He Doing in My World" (1965), and "Make the World Go Away" (1965). Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview with Eddy Arnold; 2000 September 12; intervi...

Grand Ole Opry (Theater)

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Acuff, Roy, 1903-1992

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Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful. In 1952, Hank Williams told Ralph Gleason, "He's the biggest singer this music ever knew. You booked him and you didn't worry about crowds. For drawing power in the South, i...

Tubb, Ernest, 1914-1984

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Ernest Tubb (1914-1984) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and one of the pioneers of the honky tonk style of country music. Tubb was a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and toured with is band, the Texas Troubadours....

Cash, Johnny, 1932-2003

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Johnny Cash was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the train-like chugging guitar rhythms, free prison concerts, and a trademark all-black stage wardrobe which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black". Born to poor cotton farmers in Kingsland, Arkansas, Cash rose to fame in the burgeoning rockabilly scene in Memphis, Tennessee, after four years in the Air Force. Cash is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, ...

Robison, Carson.

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Wagoner, Porter

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Sizemore, Gordon.

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Walker, Cindy

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Jones, Grandpa, 1913-1998

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Country performer. Born October 20, 1913. Died February 19, 1998. Real name: Louis Marshall Jones. Performer, banjoist, and comedian. Career active 1930s-1990s. During early career worked with Bradley Kincaid who gave him the "Grandpa" nickname. Recorded for the King, RCA, and Decca record labels. Regular cast member of the popular Hee Haw television show. Grand Ole Opry performer for over fifty years. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview...

Smith, Carl, 1927-2010

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Carl Milton Smith (March 15, 1927 – January 16, 2010) was an American country singer. Known as "Mister Country", he was one of the genre's most successful male artists during the 1950s, scoring 30 top-10 Billboard hits (21 of which were consecutive). Smith's success continued well into the 1970s, when he had a charting single every year but one. In 1952, Smith married June Carter, with whom he had daughter Carlene, the couple divorced in 1956. His eldest daughter Carlene was also the stepdaughte...

Fowler, Wally

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Frizzell, Lefty, 1928-1975

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Country music performer. Born March 31, 1928. Died July 19, 1975. Real name: William Orville Frizzell. Singer, songwriter, and recording artist. His hits include "Always Late (With Your Kisses)," and "Saginaw, Michigan." Member, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview with Lefty Frizzell; [ca. 1970]; interview conducted by Frank Jones. [ca. 1970] (Country Music Foundation, Library & Media Center). Worl...

Gardner, Robert.

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Flatt, Lester, 1914-1979

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Bluegrass musician. Born June 14, 1914. Died May 11, 1979. Full name: Lester Raymond Flatt. Guitarist and lead singer for Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, 1945-early 1948. In 1948 teamed with Earl Scruggs to form the Foggy Mountain Boys. In 1969 ended his professional association with Earl Scruggs and formed Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass. Member, International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview with L...

Big Slim, 1903-1966

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Industrial Workers of the World

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The IWW is a labor organization dedicated to uniting laborers around the world into a single large union. From the description of Collection 1916-1939. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 778701431 Established in Chicago in 1905 by sponsors of socialism and the remnants of previous labor unions, including the Knights of Labor, Western Federation of Miners and the American Labor Union, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), or "Wobblies", evolved into a radical industrial unio...

Thompson, Hank

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Arkie the Arkansas Woodchopper

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Carter Family (Musical group)

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Reeves, Jim.

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Bailes Brothers.

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Rodgers, Jimmie, 1897-1933

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Copas, Cowboy

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Dudgeon, Frank.

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Smith, Jerry Christopher, 1941-

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Jolson, Al, 1886-1950

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Composer. From the description of Autograph note signed : [New York], to Irene [Gallagher], 1921 Jan. 4. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270914110 Although many people view Al Jolson as little more than a singer of long ago, the voice of "The Jazz Singer", the first full-length 'talking movie", he was known as The World's Greatest Entertainer, a superstar before the word was coined, a man whose musical heritage created much of the entertainment industry we know today. His car...

Ives, Burl, 1909-1995

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Carl Sandburg once called Burl Ives "America's Great Ballad Singer." From the 1940s to the 1960s, his diverse talents and spirited performances made him one of America's best-loved entertainers. The traditional repertoire of American folk tunes represented in his performances was considerably different from the popular music of the day. His presence on the musical scene not only served to sustain an awareness of neglected American folk songs, but would contribute to the resurgence of interest in...

Sons of the Pioneers

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The Sons of the Pioneers was one of the leading vocal and instrumental groups in Western music. They were especially known for their harmonies, songwriting, and musicianship. In addition to their creative success, the Pioneers were among the longest lasting groups in the history of country music, celebrating 65 years of continuous performances in 1998. Over the years, the members of the group included Pat Brady, Ken Carson, Ken Curtis, Tommy Doss, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr, Shug Fisher, Luther Nallie...

Travis, Merle

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Guitarist, songwriter, and performer. Born November 29, 1917. Died October 20, 1983. Full name: Merle Robert Travis. As a leading exponent of the thumb-style guitar technique, his innovative style influenced generations of guitar players. Songwriting credits include the classics "Sixteen Tons," "Dark as a Dungeon," and "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette)." Member, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview ...

Trace, Al, 1900-1993

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Allen, Rex, 1947-

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Boyd, Billy Ray

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Almanac Singers.

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Little Jimmie

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Karl and Harty

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Gregory, Bobby

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Stanley Brothers

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Plainsmen (Musical group)

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Foggy Mountain Boys

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Alberta Slim, 1910-2005

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Williams, Doc, 1914-2011

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Country performer. Born June 26, 1914. Real name: Andrew John Smik, Jr. Performer and recording artist whom, with his band the Border Riders, performed throughout the Northeast and Eastern Canada from the late 1930s-1990s. Joined the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree in 1937. In 1946 his wife, Chickie (born February 13, 1919), joined the band. In 1947 formed Wheeling Records. Creator of the Doc Williams Guitar Course. From the description of Oral history interview with Doc Williams; 1977 Januar...

Rogers, Roy, 1911-1998

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Ritter, Tex

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Clauser, Al

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Hawkins, Hawkshaw, 1921-1963

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Jones, George, 1931-2013

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George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and his distinctive voice and phrasing. For the last two decades of his life, Jones was frequently referred to as "the greatest living country singer". Jones has been called "The Rolls-Royce of Country Music" and had more than 160 chart singles to his name from 1955 until his death in 2013. His earliest musical influe...

Kingston trio

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Nolan, Bob

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Weavers (Musical group)

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Little, Betty

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Cora Starr Little (Mrs. George) b. 21 Oct 1867, Cressey, Barry County, Mich., dau of Issac Starr, she died June 1955. Mrs. Little served in the Missionary Field in Concept, Chile. She married George E. Little in 1919. Mr. Little d 6 May 1940. From the description of Betty Little collection, 1871-1882. (US Department of Comm, Noaa Great Lakes). WorldCat record id: 229143808 ...

Sizemore, Asher

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Snow, Hank

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Country music performer. Born May 9, 1914. Died December 20, 1999. Full name: Clarence Eugene Snow. Canadian-born country star. Career active 1930s-1980s. Known for his tradition-oriented, fiddle-and-steel sound, distinctive nasal voice, and western costumes. Emerged as a major star on the Grand Ole Opry during the 1950s. Recorded for RCA 1930s-1970s. Member, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview with Ha...

Wells, Kitty, 1919-2012

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Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier for women in country music with her 1952 hit recording "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", which also made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts and turned her into the first female country superstar. “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” would also be her first of several pop crossov...

Montana, Slim 1904-1996

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Bailey Brothers

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CFQC (Radio station : Saskatoon, Canada)

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Scruggs, Earl

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Influential banjo player and bluegrass pioneer. Born January 6, 1924. Full name: Earl Eugene Scruggs. Important musical innovator, his thumb-and-two-finger banjo picking style became an essential building block of bluegrass. Member, Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, 1945-1948. Performed as Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, 1948-1969. In 1969 he formed the Earl Scruggs Revue with his sons. Member, International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. ...

Carter, A. P. (Alvin Pleasant), 1891-1960

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WSM (Radio station : Nashville, Tenn.)

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Parker, Andy.

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Blue Grass Roy

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Bernard, Al, 1888-1949

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Al Bernard, author. From the guide to the The world's best complete minstrel folio, 1936, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.) ...

Delmore Brothers.

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WWVA (Radio station : Wheeling, W. Va.)

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Atcher, Bob

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Country music recording artist and radio performer. Born May 11, 1914. Died October 31, 1993. Full name: Robert Owen Atcher. Career active 1930s-early 1970s. Appeared as a regular performer on the WLS and WGN National Barn Dance from the 1940s-1971. From the description of Oral history interview with Bob Atcher; 1987 May 1; interview conducted by John W. Rumble. 1987 May 1. (Country Music Foundation, Library & Media Center). WorldCat record id: 58841374 From the descript...

Carlisle, Cliff, 1904-1983

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Country music performer and pioneer dobro player. Born March 6, 1904. Died April 2, 1983. Full name: Clifford Raymond Carlisle. Career active from the late 1920s-early 1950s. Radio and stage performer, songwriter, and recording artist. Performed both solo and with his brother Bill as a member of the Carlisle Brothers. From the description of Oral history interview with Cliff Carlisle; 1974 July 11; interview conducted by Douglas B. Green. 1974 July 11. (Country Music Foundation, Libr...

Williams, Bert, 1874-1922

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Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was a comedian, vaudeville performer and actor. He teamed with George Walker from 1895 to 1909 in vaudeville as "Two Real Coons." From 1910-1919 he performed with the Ziegfeld Follies. From the description of Bert Williams jokebooks, n.d. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122431182 Egbert Austin “Bert” Williams was once described by comedian W. C. Fields as the funniest man he had ever seen and the saddest he had ever known. Born in An...

Young, Faron

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Monroe, Bill, 1911-1996

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Bill Monroe (1911-1984), Anglo-American mandolin player, singer, and songwriter known as the "Father of Bluegrass", from Rosine, Ky.; and his band, the Blue Grass Boys, featuring banjo player Earl Scruggs of Flint Hill, N.C. From the description of John Edwards memorial collection, 1940s. WorldCat record id: 27189199 Pioneer bluegrass performer. Born September 13, 1911. Died September 9, 1996. Full name: William Smith Monroe. Career active 1920s-1990s. Known as the Father of...

Blackwood Brothers Quartet

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Montana, Patsy

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Country performer. Born October 30, 1908. Died May 3, 1996. Real name: Rubye Blevins. Popular performer and recording artist, recognized for her cowgirl image and western style performances, including yodeling. Best known for her 1935 hit "I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart," which became the first million-seller for a female country & western performer. From the description of Oral history interview with Patsy Montana; 1984 June 9; interview conducted by John W. Rumble. 1984 Jun...

Carter, Maybelle, 1909-1978

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Legendary country music performer. Born May 10, 1909. Died October 23, 1978. Guitarist renowned for her playing style and her crafting of the "Carter Lick." Member of the original Carter Family musical group, and mother of June, Helen, and Anita Carter. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. From the description of Oral history interview with Maybelle Carter and Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman; 1968 February 1; interview conducted by Bill Williams. 1968 Feb. 1. (Country Music Foundation, Libra...

Rogers, Jesse, 1913-

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King, Pee Wee, 1914-2000

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Country music performer, bandleader, and songwriter. Born February 18, 1914. Died March 7, 2000. Real name: Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski. Career active late 1930s-1960s. Bandleader of the Golden West Cowboys, a popular Grand Old Opry act during the late 1930s-1940s. His songwriting credits include "Tennessee Waltz," and "Slow Poke." Star of ABC Television's The Pee Wee King Show during the late 1950s. Member, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Member, Country Music Hall of Fame. F...

Blind, Blake

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Louvin Brothers.

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McFarland, Lester

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Cooley, Spade, 1910-1969

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Donnell Clyde "Spade" Cooley (December 17, 1910 – November 23, 1969) was an American convicted murderer and former Western swing musician, big band leader, actor, and television personality. In 1961 he was arrested and convicted for the April 1961 murder of his second wife, Ella Mae Evans. On August 5, 1968, the California State Adult Authority voted unanimously to parole Cooley on February 22, 1970. He had served less than nine years of a life sentence and was in poor health from heart tro...

Red River Dave, 1914-2002

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Country & western entertainer. Born December 15, 1914. Died 2002. Real name: David McEnery. Radio performer, movie actor and composer. His songwriting credits include the country-folk standard "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight." During the 1930s a regular radio performer. After World War II appeared in several low-budget Western movies. During the 1950s and 1960s a popular San Antonio area television performer. From the description of Oral history interview with Red River Dave; 1975 ...

LeDoux, Christine Marie

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Oklahoma Outlaws.

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Prairie Ramblers

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Dickens, Little Jimmy, 1920-

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