Dykes' Magic City Trio
| Dykes' Magic City Trio | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Old-time music |
| founding | circa 1925 |
| resolution | 1932/1933 |
| Founding members | |
| John Dykes | |
| Hub Mahaffey | |
Autoharp , vocals |
Myrtle Vermillion |
Dykes' Magic City Trio was an American old-time group .
history
Fiddler and band leader John Riley Dykes was born in 1868 and worked for a long time in the mines of Wise County, Virginia . At that time he was already known as an extremely talented fiddler. In the mid-1920s, he left the mines and moved to Kingsport , Tennessee . Around 1925 he founded Dykes' "Magic City" trio , which consisted of Myrtle Vermillion and GH "Hub" Mahaffey. Vermillion was born in Scott County, Virginia in 1901 and learned to play autoharp as a teenager . She was a cousin of Sara Carter , who became famous as a member of the Carter Family . Singer and guitarist Hub Mahaffey was from Norton but moved to Kingsport in the 1920s, where he worked as a carpenter. Dykes named his band after Kingsport, the "Magic City".
The trio played at numerous barn dances and other events in the area . In February 1927, the record label Brunswick Records came to Norton, where the company invited old-time musicians from the area to audition at the Hotel Norton. Dock Boggs , who had performed with Dykes, convinced him to check in there as well and the group received an invitation to come to New York City in March .
Together with Boggs, Dykes' trio traveled to New York, where they recorded 14 pieces between March 9 and March 11, 1927. A large part of the recordings consisted of traditional melodies such as Cotton Eyed Joe , Ida Red or Huckleberry Blues , for which Dykes was known. The group also recorded two ballads, Frankie and Poor Ellen Smith , and two religious songs. At Twilight is Stealing , she supported Dock Boggs as a background singer. Although Brunswick was satisfied and the records were selling well, Dykes' Magic City Trio never got a second session.
The band stayed together until 1932/1933, but then split as Vermillion started a family and no longer had time for music. Mahaffey stayed in the music business and played with various local bands until the 1960s. He died around 1984. John Dykes continued to participate in fiddle contests and from time to time played at square dance events . He died in 1938, contrary to Charles K. Wolfe's popular belief that Dykes died in the late 1940s.
Discography
Brunswick 126 was also released on Vocalion Records .
| year | title | # | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick Records | |||
| 1927 | Cotton Eyed Joe / Tennessee Girls | 120 | |
| 1927 | Shortening Bread / Ida Red | 125 | |
| 1927 | Callahan's Reel / Red Steer | 126 | also published on Vocalion 5181 |
| 1927 | Franke / Poor Ellen Smith | 127 | |
| 1927 | Golden Slippers / Hook and Line | 128 | |
| 1927 | Huckleberry Blues / Free Little Bird | 129 | |
| Twilight Is Stealing / Far Beyond the Starry Sky | 130 | ||
literature
- Charles K. Wolfe: Dyke's “Magic City” Trio. Old Homestead LP OHCS 191
- Kip Lornell: Virginia's Blues, Country and Gospel Records, 1902–1942. University Press of Kentucky, 1989, ISBN 0-8131-1658-9 , pp. 60-62.
- Tony Russell: Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942. Oxford University Press, 2004, ISBN 0-19-513989-5 , pp. 449-450.