AA Gray
Ahaz Augustus Gray (born September 7, 1881 in Carroll County , Georgia - † June 21, 1939 ) was an American country musician . Gray was a famous fiddler and a participant in the Atlanta Fiddler's Conventions .
Life
Childhood and youth
AA Gray was born in a small community in Georgia. His parents Matt and Eliza were not musicians; Gray learned to make music from his older brother, who played the fiddle. Gray later recalled: "He taught me part of a piece, and then got mad, because I couldn't learn any faster, and quit, but I kept tryin 'till I picked out the whole tune". At the age of seven, Gray first appeared on local barn dances. At the age of 25 he married Clarinda Smith and moved with her to Tallapoosa . You should have three children together. Gray made a living as a farmer and earned money by participating in fiddle competitions.
Career
Gray was already very popular in and around his home. With his band Gray's String Band , consisting of Gray (fiddle), Charlie Thompson ( guitar ), Henry West ( banjo ) and Fred Hill (fiddle), he played at local events. In 1916, Gray first won the Atlanta Fiddlers' Convention; he was to win four times by 1935, more often than any other fiddler. During the week he worked, he performed square dances or toured Georgia on Saturday nights . After the radio station WSB went on the air in Atlanta in 1922 , Gray also made his first appearances there, even if these were not paid for at the time. In 1924 he made his first records; Bonaparte's Retreat and Merry Widow Waltz would remain his only solo recordings. However, he can be heard on other tracks with other musicians, such as Streack-O-Lean, Streack-O-Fat , Tallapoosa Bound , Nigger Baby and The Old Ark's A-Movin ' , all with John Dilleshaw . In addition, some skits based on the example of the Skillet Lickers were recorded.
In the 1930s, Gray continued to perform and was occasionally heard on the radio, but he no longer recorded any records. Gray died on June 21, 1939 at the age of 58.
Discography
| year | title | Record company |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Bonaparte's Retreat / Merry Widow Waltz | OKeh Records |
| 192? | Streack-O-Lean, Streack-O-Fat / Tallapoosa Bound (with John Dilleshaw) | Vocalion Records |
| 192? | Nigger Baby / The Old Ark's A-Movin ' (with John Dilleshaw) | Vocalion Records |
| 192? | A Georgia Barbecue At Stone Mountain, Part 1 / A Georgia Barbecue At Stone Mountain, Part 2 | Vocalion Records |
| 192? | A Fiddler's Tryout In Georgia, Part 1 / A Fiddler's Tryout In Georgia, Part 2 | Vocalion Records |
Individual evidence
- ↑ Wayne W. Daniel: Pickin 'On Peachtree ; Pp. 36 to 39
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gray, AA |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Gray, Ahaz Augustus (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American country musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 7, 1881 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Carroll County , Georgia |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 21, 1939 |