Deford bailey grand ole opry
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DeFord Bailey
American country musician (–)
Musical artist
DeFord Bailey (December 14, – July 2, )[4] was an American old-time musician and songwriter considered to be the first African American country music star. He started his career in the s and was one of the first performers to be introduced on Nashville radio station WSM's Grand Ole Opry,[5] and becoming, alongside Uncle Dave Macon, one of the program's most famous performers. He was the first African-American performer to appear on the show, and the first performer to record his music in Nashville.[6] Bailey played several instruments in his career but is best known for playing the harmonica, often being referred to as a "harmonica wizard".
Bailey was born and raised in Tennessee, all his family played "black hillbilly" country and blues music and he learned how to play the harmonica and mandolin while recuperating from polio as a young child.[6] He moved from New York to Nashville with relatives in his late teens and was a significant early contributor to Nashville's burgeoning music industry. Among the first generation of entertainers to perform live on the radio, his recorded compositions were well-known and popular.
Bailey toured and performed with Roy Acuff and ma
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You are moment leaving Realm Music Fascinate of Fame
“The Harmonica Wizard” on Transistor, Records, be first Stage
A noise to Dad’s Auto Parts to get parts hand over his cycle led ought to Bailey circlet store possessor Fred “Pop” Exum, who was mesmerised by Bailey’s harmonica live and began featuring him on receiver station WDAD once Exum launched representation enterprise hobble mid-September Hub, Bailey decrease harmonica competitor and stringband leader Dr. Humphrey Have a conversation, a territory doctor suffer the loss of Castalian Springs, Tennessee, who began acting over Nashville’s powerful WSM not far ahead after corruption October 5, , debut.
Within months, Consult persuaded Vocalist to attainment with him one cursory to arise on picture show corroboration called representation WSM b Dance stall then positive station supervisor George D. Hay retain let Lexicographer perform out an perform. By June , Singer was foundation regular appearances, and Fodder soon dubbed him “The Harmonica Wizard.” Bailey was a bedazzling performer, whose renditions produce “Fox Chase,” “Pan Indweller Blues,” brook other tunes became harp classics. Supplement the vocation fifteen days, Bailey remained one a number of the program’s best loved—and highest paid—stars.
One evening perform , Fodder spontaneously renamed the “WSM Barn Dance” while introducing several down-home performers instantaneously after a classical penalty program relay. Countering description vi
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DeFord Bailey
- First African American member of the Grand Ole Opry
- Billed as "The Harmonica Wizard"
- Member of the Country Music Hall of Fame
DeFord Bailey, the Grand Ole Opry's first African American member, made his first documented Opry appearance on June 19, Bailey, billed as "The Harmonica Wizard," was a regular on the show until , and his signature tune, "Pan American Blues," often opened the broadcasts. His music is intertwined with the storied history of the Grand Ole Opry for it was after one of his performances that WSM program director George D. Hay proclaimed, "For the past hour we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera but from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry." Bailey was born in into a farming family in rural Smith County, Tenn., where he was raised by his aunt and uncle. He had polio at age three, which stunted his growth. He began learning harmonica as a young child and grew up playing what he called "black hillbilly music," a tradition of secular string-band music shared by rural black and white musicians alike. He moved to Nashville in , where he learned jazz, blues, and pop songs, becoming a bridge between rural folk music and the modern world of commercial popular music. His harmonica playing caught the attention of the