Blind Alfred Reed

"Blind" Alfred Reed (b. June 15, 1880 in Floyd, VA - d. January 17, 1956), recorded for Victor (1927-1929). Fred Pendleton, Blind Alfred Reed, Arville Reed (Alfred Reed's son)
Fred Pendleton and Alfred Reed

Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina based group. Members included at one time or another Doc Walsh (banjo/vocals), Clarence Ashley (guitar), Gwen Foster (guitar/harmonica), Garley Foster (guitar/harmonica) [no relation]. Recorded for Victor (1927-1932). Clarence Ashley, Doc Walsh, Gwen Foster, ca. 1928

DeFord Bailey

DeFord Bailey (b. December 14, 1899 in Carthage, TN - d. July 2, 1982 in Nashville, TN), member of the Grand Ole Opry (WSM, Nashville, TN). Recorded for Columbia (1927), Brunswick and Bluebird.

Buell Kazee

Buell Kazee (b. August 29, 1900, near Burton Fork, KY - d. August 31, 1976), recorded for Brunswick (1927-1929).

Byrd Moore

William B. "Byrd" Moore (b. April 1889 in Blackwater, VA - d. 1949 in Wise County, VA), played with various artists like Clarence Ashley, Clarence Greene, Jess Johnston, Melvin Robinette and others. Recorded for Gennett (1928-1932) and Columbia (1929). Byrd Moore and his Hot Shots, ca. 1929: Moore, Clarence Greene, Clarence Ashley

Allen Sisson

Allen R. Sisson (b. August 31, 1873 - d. September 22, 1951, in Fannin County, GA), was named "Tennessee State Fiddle Champion" in 1921. Recorded for Edison (1925).

Grayson and Whitter

Members included Henry Whitter (guitar/vocals) and G.B. Grayson (fiddle/vocals). Recorded for Gennett (1927-1928) and Victor (1929-1930). Grayson died in 1930.

Doc Walsh

Doctor Coble "Doc" Walsh (b. July 23, 1901, in Lewis Fork, NC - d. May 28, 1967), leader of the Carolina Tar Heels. Recorded for Columbia (1925-1926) and Victor with Gwen Foster (1930).

See also: Carolina Tar Heels

Henry Gilliland

Henry Clay Gilliland (b. March 11, 1845 near Granby, MO - d. April 21, 1924), considered to be, along with Eck Robertson, the first old-time musician that made a record. Actually, Don Richardson seems to be the first. Recorded with Eck Robertson for Victor (1922).

Fate Norris

Singleton LaFayette "Fate" Norris (b. 1878 in Resaca, GA - d. Novemeber 11, 1944, in Suligna, GA), recorded with the Skillet Lickers and solo for Columbia (1925-1926).

See also: Skillet Lickers

Clarence "Tom" Ashley

Clarence "Tom" Ashley (b. September 29, 1895 in Bristol, TN - d. June 2, 1967), recorded solo for Gennett (1928), Columbia (1929-1930) and with the Carolina Tar Heels, the Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers and Byrd Moore's Hot Shots. Also recorded with Gwen Foster for Vocalion (1933). Also performed as Thomas C. Ashley and Tom Ashley.

Clarence Ashley (right) with G.B. Grayson

See also: Carolina Tar Heels; Moore, Byrd

The Skillet Lickers

(also known as Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers) Atlanta based group. Recorded for Columbia (1926-1931) and Bluebird (1934). Main members at Columbia included Gid Tanner (fiddle/vocals), Riley Puckett (guitar/vocals), Clayton McMichen (fiddle), Fate Norris (banjo). Other members included Lowe Stokes, Bert Layne, Bill Helms. Line-up at Bluebird included Gid Tanner, Gordon Tanner (fiddle), Riley Puckett, Ted Hawkins (mandolin) and maybe Arthur Tanner.
Gid Tanner, Clayton McMichen, Riley Puckett, Fate Norris

The Skillet Lickers in 1931 at WCKY (Covington, KY): Riley Puckett, Slim Bryant (front row), Bert Layne, Clayton McMichen (back row)

Cliff Carlisle

Cliff Carlisle (b. May 6, 1904 in Taylorsville, KY - d. April 2, 1983 in Lexington, KY), brother of Bill Carlisle. Recorded for Gennett (1930-1931), American Record Corporation (1931-1934), Bluebird (1936-1938) and Decca (1938-39). Also recorded after the war with his brother for King and for RCA Victor.

Wilbur Ball and Cliff Carlisle (c. 1931)

Cliff Carlisle, Shannon Grayson, Bill Carlisle

Arnold Shultz

Arnold Shultz (b.February 1886 in Ohio County, KY - d.April 1931 in Butler County, KY), mentor for Bill Monroe. Played also with Monroe's uncle, "Uncle Pen" Vandiver.

Arnold Shultz with Uncle Pen Vandiver

Charlie Poole

Charles Cleveland "Charlie" Poole (b. March 22, 1892, in Randolph County, NC - d. March 21, 1931 in Eden, NC), recorded for Columbia (1925-1930), Paramount (1929) and Brunswick (1929) with the North Carolina Ramblers.

Posey Rorer, Charlie Poole, Roy Harvey

Charlie Poole, Posey Rorer, Clarence Foust, ca. 1923