Alton Delmore (December 25, 1908 – June 9, 1964) and Rabon Delmore (December 3, 1916 – December 4, 1952), The Delmore Brothers, together with other brother duos such as the Louvin Brothers, the Blue Sky Boys, the Monroe Brothers (Birch Monroe, Charlie Monroe and Bill Monroe), the McGee Brothers, and The Stanley Brothers, had a profound impact on the history of country music and American popular music. The duo performed extensively with old time fiddler Arthur Smith as the Arthur Smith Trio throughout the 1930s.

Biography

The brothers were born into poverty in Elkmont, Alabama, United States, Their mother, Mollie Delmore, wrote and sang gospel songs for their church. The Delmores blended gospel-style harmonies with the quicker guitar work of traditional folk music and the blues to help create the still-emerging genre of country. In addition to the regular six-string acoustic guitar, the duo was one of the few to use the rare tenor guitar, a four-string instrument that had primarily been used previously in vaudeville shows.

In 1925, 16-year-old Alton wrote his first song ("Bound for the Shore"), which he co-wrote with his mother. It was published by Athens Music Co.

The Brothers did their first recording session for Columbia Records in 1931, They signed a contract with Victor's budget label Bluebird in 1933 and became regulars on the Grand Ole Opry.

In 1934, Arthur Smith (later known as "Fiddlin' Arthur Smith" to distinguish him from Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith) began touring with The Delmore Brothers.

The Brothers recorded over 200 sides with major labels as the Delmore Brothers, and many more under pseudonyms such as Alton's most famous persona, "Jim Scott". Alton wrote many songs that were never released.

Partial discography

Singles

  • Got The Kansas City Blues (Columbia, 1931)
  • Lonesome Yodel Blues (Bluebird, 1934)
  • The Frozen Girl (Bluebird, 1934)
  • Brown's Ferry Blues (Bluebird, 1934)
  • Brown's Ferry Blues, Part 2 (Bluebird, 1935)
  • Down South (Bluebird, 1935)
  • I'm Gonna Change My Way (Bluebird, 1936)
  • Till The Roses Bloom Again (Bluebird, 1937)
  • Ain't It Hard To Love (Bluebird, 1938)
  • I'm Alabama Bound (Bluebird, 1939)
  • Silver Dollar (Decca, 1940)
  • Prisoner's Farewell (King, 1944)
  • Freight Train Boogie (King, 1946)
  • Mobile Boogie (King, 1947)
  • Blues Stay Away From Me (King, 1949)
  • Pan American Boogie (King, 1950)
  • I'll Be There (King, 1951)
  • Good Time Saturday Night (King, 1952)
  • Muddy Water (King, 1952)

Albums

  • Sacred Songs (King, 1957)
  • In Memory (King, 1964)
  • In Memory, Vol. 2 (King, 1964)
  • Wonderful Sacred Songs (King, 1966)
  • When They Let The Hammer Fall (Bear Family, 1984)
  • Lonesome Yodel Blues (Old Homestead, 1985)
  • Classic Cuts: 1933-1941 (JSP, 2003)
  • Fifty Miles To Travel (Ace, 2005)
  • The Delmore Brothers, Vol. 2: The Later Years 1933-1952 (JSP, 2007)
  • Blues Stay Away From Me (Jasmine, 2008)
  • Classic Cuts, Vol. 3: More From The 1930s Plus (JSP, 2008)

Awards

  • Citation of Achievement from Broadcast Music Inc. presented to Alton Delmore for "Beautiful Brown Eyes", 1951.
  • Induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1971
  • Induction into the Alabama Country Music Hall of Fame, 1987
  • Induction into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, 1989
  • Independent Country Music Association-Germany, Induction into the Hall of Fame. 2000
  • Independent Country Music Association-Germany, Artists of the 20th Century, 2000
  • Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, October 4, 2001
  • National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences "Blues Stay Away From Me", Delmore Brothers, King, 1949, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, January 2007
  • Limestone County Fiddlers Convention, c. 1920s, First Prize, duo awarded one sack of flour and a new pair of socks. <Alton Delmore, 1959>

References

  • Delmore Brothers website maintained by Alton's daughter
  • Sessionography, Discography, Biography and all about them by Alain Nicolas
  • Native Ground
  • Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
  • Alabama Hall of Fame
  • Rockabilly Hall of Fame
  • Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
  • .
  • Delmore Brothers recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.