Roy Acuff
Source: CMT
Born on 15 September 1903 in Maynardville, Tennessee, fiddler Roy Acuff ("King of Country Music") composed such as 'Beneath That Lonely Mound of Clay' and 'The Streamlined Cannon Ball' in 1940 as well as 'All the World Is Lonely Now' and 'No One Will Ever Know' in 1946. He had begun his music career in 1932 by joining a traveling medicine show. In 1934 he settled in Knoxville, formed a band called the Tennessee Crackerjacks with which he began performing on radio in Knoxville, later to become the Crazy Tennesseans, with whom he spread along his initial titles in Chicago on October 20-23, 1936, his gang consisting of Jess Easterday (guitar), Clell Sumne (Dobro), Red Jones (bass) and Sam Hatcher (harmonica). First up came 'Singing My Way to Glory' (Conqueror 9256 / Vocalion 04730), 'Charming Betsy' (ARC 70253), 'Great Speckled Bird'/'My Mountain Home Sweet Home' (ARC 70159 / Vocalion 04252) and 'Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight' (ARC 70160). Such as 'Wabash Cannonball' /' Freight Train Blues' went down the next the day (21 October) toward issue on Conqueror 9121 / Vocalion 04466. Acuff's first titles to be issued went down on October 22: 'Steamboat Whistle Blues' / 'New Greenback Dollar' (ARC 80359 / 03255). Later issues by Columbia would credit some of the titles gone down in October by the Tennesseans to the Smoky Mountain Boys although they didn't use that name yet.
'Singing My Way to Glory' Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans
First-known recording
20 Oct 1936 in Chicago Matrix C 1579 Conqueror 9256 / Vocalion 04730
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Harmonica: Sam Hatcher Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Traditional
'Wabash Cannonball' Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans
21 Oct 1936 in Chicago Matrix 1589-1 Conqueror 9121 / Vocalion 04466
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Harmonica: Sam Hatcher Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Traditional Wikipedia
'Freight Train Blues' Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans
21 Oct 1936 in Chicago Matrix 1590-2 Conqueror 9121 / Vocalion 04466
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Harmonica: Sam Hatcher Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
John Lair
The Tennesseans held their next sessions on March 22 of 1937 in Birmingham, Alabama. Among numerous issued by ARC, Vocalion and Conqueror were 'An Old Three Room Shack' (issued in 1939) and 'Sad Memories (issued in 1939).
'Steel Guitar Blues' Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans
23 Oct 1936 in Chicago Matrix B 10-2 Conqueror 9086 / Vocalion 04376
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Harmonica: Sam Hatcher Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
Acuff
Acuff took his Tennesseans to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1938 where they successfully auditioned after an initial audition failed. He there changed his group's name to the Smoky Mountain Boys. They recorded as such on November 3 of 1938 in Columbia, South Carolina, with Bob Wright contributing on ''Shout, oh Lulu'. Among numerous other tracks issued were 'The Rising Sun' / 'Goodbye Brownie (Vocalion 04909 / Conqueror 9782 issed in 1939) and 'What Would You Do with Gabriel's Trumpet' / 'Blue Ridge Sweetheart' (Vocalion 04531 issued in 1939).
'Down In Union County' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
First-known Smokey Mountain Boys recording
3 Nov 1938 in Columbia SC Matrix SC 58-1 Unissued See Bear Family BCD 17300 (9 CDs)
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
Roy Acuff
'The Rising Sun' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
3 Nov 1938 in Columbia SC Matrix SC 59-1 Vocalion 04909
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Traditional Wikipedia
'Blue Ridge Sweetheart' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
3 Nov 1938 in Columbia SC Matrix SC 63-1 Vocalion 04531
Guitar: Jess Easterday Dobro: Clell Sumne
Bass: Red Jones Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
Joe Davis / Spencer Williams
Come the summer of 1939 all had vacated Acuff's band except Easterday, they replaced by Pete "Oswald" Kirby (Brother Oswald) and Lonnie Wilson on guitars for tracks in Memphis on July 5-6 like 'Haven of Dreams' / 'Old Age Pension Check (Vocalion 05244 / Conqueror 9432 issued in 1939) and 'Eyes Are Watching You' / 'Drifting Too Far from the Shore' (Vocalion 05297 issued in 1940).
'Eyes Are Watching You' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
3 Nov 1938 in Memphis Matrix MEM 48-1 Vocalion 05297
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Bass: Jess Easterday Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
Sam "Dynamite" Hatcher / Ralph "Huckleberry"
'Beneath That Lonely Mound of Clay' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
11 April 1940 in Saginaw TX Matrix DAL 948-1 Conqueror 9435
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Banjo: Rachel Veach Bass: Jess Easterday Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
Acuff
'The Broken Heart' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
12 April 1940 in Saginaw TX Matrix DAL 954-1 Conqueror 9741 / Okeh 05820
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Banjo: Rachel Veach Bass: Jess Easterday Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition:
Acuff
In 1940 Acuff took his band to Hollywood to participate in the film 'Grand Ole Opry' for Republic Pictures including 'Friday Night Hoedown'. Incidentally, other songs from this film are posted at YouTube along with multiple titles from other Acuff films. But the curator currently doesn't want them seen, so they are absent here. ("So why were they posted?" you ask to no answer.) During the early forties Acuff and his band were so popular that when he gave tent shows traffic would congest for miles [Wikipedia]. In 1942 he founded Acuff-Rose Music with Fred Rose, publishing such as Hank Williams and later, Roy Orbison. Acuff ran for Governor of Tennessee in 1948 as a Republican but lost with 33% of the vote.
'Friday Night Hoedown' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
From the film 'Grand Old Opry' directed by Frank McDonald Released 25 June 1940
Republic Pictures Hollywood
With Uncle Dave Macon / The Weavers
Country Music Book of the Dead Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
'Wreck On the Highway' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
28 May 1942 in Hollywood Matrix HCO 807-1 Okeh 6685
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby Mandolin: Jess Easterday
Banjo: Rachel Veach Bass: Velma Williams Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Dorsey Dixon 1937
'Lonesome Indian' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
15 Jan 1949 in Nashville Matrix CO 40419 Columbia 20560
Banjo / Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby Violin / arrangement: Tommy Magness
Bass: Joseph Zinkan Harmonica: Jimmy Riddle Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Traditional
'Night Spots (Of The Town)' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
28 Oct 1954 in Nashville Matrix 13125 Capitol 3115
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson / Jess Easterday Banjo / Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Violin: Howdy Forrester
Bass: Joseph Zinkan Harmonica: Jimmy Riddle Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Acuff
'The Great Speckled Bird' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
11 Nov 1954 in Nashville Matrix 13126 EAP1-617
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson / Jess Easterday Banjo / Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Violin: Howdy Forrester
Bass: Joseph Zinkan Harmonica: Jimmy Riddle Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Charlie Swain
'The Precious Jewel' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
15 Nov 1954 in Nashville Matrix 13132 EAP2-617 / BCD 15652
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson / Jess Easterday Banjo / Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Violin: Howdy Forrester
Bass: Joseph Zinkan Harmonica: Jimmy Riddle Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Acuff
'That's What Makes The Jukebox Play' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
6 April 1955 in Nashville Matrix 13691 Capitol 3115
Guitar: Lonnie Wilson / Jess Easterday Banjo / Dobro: "Brother Oswald" Kirby
Violin: Howdy Forrester
Bass: Joseph Zinkan Harmonica: Jimmy Riddle Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Jimmy Work
'Goodbye Mr. Brown' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys w Kitty Wells
27 Oct 1955 in Nashville Matrix 88834/NA 9202 Decca 29935
Guitar: Ray Edenton / Louis Innis Steel guitar: Shot Jackson
Violin: Howdy Forrester / Ray Crisp
Bass: Ernie Newton Violin / vocal: Acuff
Composition: Jim Anglin
'I Saw The Light' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys w Kitty Wells
Sometime 1958 Television venue unknown
Composition: Hank Williams
'I Love You Because' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
24 July 1967 in Nashville Matrix F-1154 Hickory 1479
Composition: Leon Payne
'I'm Movin' On' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
24 July 1967 in Nashville Matrix F-1159 Hickory 1479
Composition: Hank Snow
'I Saw The Light' Roy Acuff w the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Aug 1971 in Nashville Matrix 8500 From the album 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken'
Composition: Hank Williams
'Back In the Country' Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys Album
Dec 1973 Hickory HR-4507 / MGM HR-4507
Album personnel:
Guitar: Charlie Collings / Chip Young / Harold Bradley
Electric guitar: Grady Martin / Jackie Phelps
Steel guitar: Don Powell / Jerry Byrd Dobro: Pete "Oswald" Kirby
Fiddle: Billy Jack Saucier / Howdy Forrester
Piano: Hargus "Pig" Robbins
Bass: John Williams Drums: Buddy Harman / Jerry Carrigan
Harmonica: Charlie McCoy / Jimmy Riddle / Onie Wheeler
'I Saw The Light' Roy Acuff
Television8 June 1991 'American Music Shop' 'Tribute to Hank Williams Sr.'
Guitar: Brent Mason / Brent Rowan Dobro: Jerry Douglas
Keyboards: Matt Rollings / John Jarvis
Bass: Glen Worf Drums: Harry Stinson
Composition: Hank Williams
Acuff died on November 23, 1992, 89 years of age. He had been a Freemason.
Sources & References for Roy Acuff:
Don Cusic (Tennessee Encyclopedia)
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (All Music)
Audio of Acuff: Internet Archive YouTube
Collections: Elizabeth Schlappi
Compositions: Music Brainz Music VF (best-selling) SHS
Documentaries:
Roy Acuff: A Biography (Country Music Spotlight / 2022)
Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys (Classic Country Music Shows / 1995)
Roy Acuff Documentary: Hollywood Walk of Fame (People Document [AI])
The Life and Times of Roy Acuff (IMDb / 1995)
The Tragic Silence of Roy Acuff (Hollywood Icons [AI])
What They Found in Roy Acuff’s Safe (Legends of the South [AI])
Acuff in Film / Television: IMDb
Interviews: 1 June 1991 (Opry Backstage w Boxcar Willie)
Recordings by Acuff: Catalogs:
Discogs (Roy Acuff)
Discogs (Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys)
Music VF (best-selling albums 1958 / 1974)
Recordings by Acuff: Compilations:
20 Greatest Songs (Varèse Sarabande 302 066 204 2 / Hickory Records 302 066 204 2 / 2001)
The King of Country Music (1953-1958 / Bear Family Records BCD 15652 BH / 1993)
Songs of Love (SMI 1-82 / 1996)
Recordings by Acuff: Sessions:
Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys: DAHR (1940-1956)
Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys: Praguefrank's (1939-1991)
Bibliography:
Robert Gentry (Remembering Roy Acuff / 2025)
Elizabeth Schlappi (Roy Acuff: The Smoky Mountain Boy / Pelican Publishing / 1995)
Other Profiles: Bobb Edwards (Find a Grave) From the Vaults
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
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