Delmore Brothers
| Delmore Brothers | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Old-Time Music , Country Music ( Country Boogie , Country Gospel ) |
| founding | 1930 |
| resolution | 1952 |
| Founding members | |
Alton Delmore |
Vocals , guitar |
Rabon Delmore |
Guitar, vocals |
The Delmore Brothers were an American country duo best known for their appearances in the Grand Ole Opry between 1932 and 1938.
Life
Childhood and youth
Alton ( December 25, 1908 - June 9, 1964 ) and Rabon Delmore ( December 3, 1916 - December 4, 1952 ) came from the Cumberland Mountains in Alabama . They were the sons of a farmer who came from Elkmont . The two brothers started playing guitar at an early age. When Rabon was ten years old, they began to make music together.
Career
The Delmore Brothers began their professional careers by winning a fiddle competition. In 1931 they played successfully to Columbia Records and a year later, also successfully, under the direction of the Grand Ole Opry. The Delmore Brothers initially played blues-oriented country music, with the brothers' Close Harmony vocals being accompanied by two unobtrusive guitars. Later the acoustic guitars were supplemented by bass, steel guitar and other instruments. From 1932 the Delmore Brothers recorded together with Fiddlin 'Arthur Smith records, known among other things is Black Blossom Rag . A year later, the two brothers switched completely to Bluebird Records , a sub-label RCA Victors . They continued to play a blues-like style. Known include the Rounder's Blues and I've Got The Big River Blues . Their song Alabama Lullaby , recorded for Columbia in 1931 , became their signature title, which they played at the beginning of every radio show.
After a label change to King Records in the mid-forties , they continued to develop in the direction of western swing and, above all, country boogie . In 1946, their Freight Train Boogie reached second place on the country charts. The brothers used mostly self-written material. Alton alone composed over a thousand songs. From 1943 they occasionally played gospel music with Merle Travis and Grandpa Jones under the name Brown's Ferry Four .
The Delmore Brothers' success continued until the early 1950s. In 1951 they had their first and only number 1 hit: Blues Stay Away From Me . Rabon died of lung cancer in 1952. Alton recorded a few more insignificant records, began drinking, and died impoverished on June 9, 1964.
In their long and successful career, the Delmore Brothers exerted an influence on other musicians that should not be underestimated, such as the Everly Brothers or the Louvin Brothers . The duo posthumously received the highest honor in country music in 2001: they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . They also received awards from the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and, due to their early influence on rockabilly , from the Rockabilly Hall of Fame .
Discography
Singles
| year | title | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Records | |||
| 1933? | Got The Kansas City Blues / Alabama Lullaby | ||
| Decca Records | |||
| 1940 | Theres Trouble On My Mind / Silver Dollar | ||
| 1940 | In The Blue Hills Of Virginia / Old Mountain Dew | ||
| 1940 | Make Room In The Lifeboat For Me / Gathering Flowers From The Hill | ||
| 1940 | She Wont Be My Lil Darling / Broken Hearted Lover | ||
| Bluebird Records | |||
| 1940 | Raining On The Mountain / That's How I Feel, So Goodbye | ||
| 1941 | Will You Be Lonesome Too / Wh Its Time For Whipoorwil | ||
| 1941 | Gospel Cannonball / Precious Jewel | ||
| 1941 | Last Night I Was Your Only One / Now I Have Bugle To Play | ||
| 1941 | The Storms Are On The Ocean / Happy On The Mississippi Shore | ||
| 1941 | Heart Of Sorrow / Promise Me You'll Always Be Faithful | ||
| 1941 | That Yodelin 'Gal, Miss Julie / Take Me Back To The Range | ||
| 1942 | I'll Never Fall In Love Again / New False Hearted Girl | ||
| King Records | |||
| 1946 | Sweet Sweet Thing / Prisoner's Farewell | ||
| 1946 | Last Old Shovel / Remember I Feel Lonesome | ||
| 1946 | Midnite Special / Why Did You Leave Me Dear | ||
| 1946 | Lonely Moon / Be My Little Pet | ||
| 1946 | Last Old Shovel / Remember I Feel Lonesome | ||
| 1946 | Midnite Special / Why Did You Leave Me Dear | ||
| 1946 | Lonely Moon / Be My Little Pet | ||
| 1946 | Fast Express / I've Found An Angel | ||
| 1946 | Hillbilly Boogie / I'm Sorry I Caused You To Cry | ||
| 1946 | I'm Lonesome Without You / She Left Me Standing On The Mountain | ||
| 1946 | Don't Forget Me / Midnite Train | ||
| 1946 | Freight Train Boogie / Somebody Else's Darling | ||
| Decca Records | |||
| 1947 | Honey I'm Ramblin 'Away / I'm Leavin' You | ||
| 1947 | Gospel Cannonball / Precious Jewel | ||
| King Records | |||
| 1947 | Mississippi Shore / Browns Ferry Blues | ||
| 1947 | Boogie Woogie Baby / Born To Be Blue | ||
| 1947 | Harmonica Blues / Rounders Blues | ||
| 1948 | Used car blues / barnyard boogie | ||
| 1948 | Mobile Boogie / Waitin 'For That Train | ||
| 1948 | Darby's Ram / Take It On Out The Door | ||
| 1948 | Take It To The Captain / Peach Tree Street Boogie | ||
| 1948 | Shame On Me / Stop That Boogie | ||
| 1948 | Now I'm Free / Fifty Miles To Travel | ||
| 1949 | Weary Day / Down Home Boogie | ||
| 1949 | Wrath Of God / Calling To That Other Shore | ||
| 1949 | Blues Stay Away From Me / Going Back To Blue Ridge Mountains | ||
| 1949 | Pan American Boogie / Trouble Ain't Nothin 'But The Blues | ||
| 1950 | Sand Mountain Blues / I Swear By The Stars | ||
| 1950 | Some Day You'll Pay / My Heart Will Be Crying | ||
| 1950 | Blues You Never Lose / Life's Too Short | ||
| 1951 | I Let The Freight Train Carry Me On / Please Be My Sunshine | ||
| 1951 | Gotta Have Some Lovin '/? | ||
| 1951 | Lonesome Day / Everybody Lovers Her | ||
| 1951 | Tennessee Choo Choo / Who's Gonna Be Lonesome For Me | ||
| 1951 | Girl By The River / There's Something Bout Love | ||
| 1951 | I Won't Be Worried Long / Good Time Saturday Night | ||
| 1951 | Heartbreak Ridge / Kentucky Woman | ||
| 1951 | I'll Be There / Steamboat Bill Boogie | ||
| 1952 | Muddy Water / Got No Way Of Knowing | ||
| 1952 | How You Gonna Get Your Lovin 'Done / I Said Goodnight My Darling | ||
| 1952 | That Old Train / I Needed You | ||
| 1953 | What'cha Gonna Give Me / Trail Of Time | ||
| Starday Records | |||
| 195? | Blues Stay Away From Me / Freight Train Boogie | ||
| King Records | |||
| 1959 | Blues Stay Away From Me / Muddy Water | ||
| 1960 | Silver Threads Among The Gold / Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide | ||
| 1962 | Blues Stay Away From Me / Trouble Ain't Nothing But The Blues | ||
| 1964 | Freight Train Boogie / Sweet Sweet Thing | ||
| Starday Records | |||
| 196? | Blues Stay Away From Me / Freight Train Boogie | ||
| Gusto Records | |||
| 1978 | Blues Stay Away From Me / Freight Train Boogie | ||
Albums
- 1957: Sacred Songs
- 1958: All Time Favorite Songs
- 1962: 30th Anniversary Album
- 1964: In memory
- 1964: In Memory, Volume 2
- 1966: Wonderful Sacred Songs
- 1966: 24 Great Country Songs
- 1970: Best Of The Delmore Brothers
- 1975: The Best Of The Delmore Brothers
- 1983: Volume 1 - Weary Lonesome Blues
- 1984: Volume 2 - Singing My Trouble Away
- 1985: Volume 3 - Early Sacred Songs
- 1985: Volume 4 - Lonesome Yodel Blues
- 1985: When They Let The Hammer Down (with Wayne Raney )
- 1994: Freight Train Boogie
- 1995: Sand Mountain Blues
- 1995: Brown's Ferry Blues
- 2002: Introduced Into The Country Music Hall Of Fame 2001
- 2004: Classic Cuts: 1933–1941 (4 CDs)
- 2005: Blues Stay Away From Me 1931–1951 (2 CDs)
- 2005: Fifty Miles To Travel
- 2006: Vol. 2 - The Later Years - 1933–1952 (4 CDs)