Uncle Dave Macon
David Harrison Macon (October 7, 1870 – March 22, 1952), known professionally as Uncle Dave Macon, was an American old-time banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Known as "The Dixie Dewdrop", Macon was known for his chin whiskers, plug hat, gold teeth, and gates-ajar collar, he gained regional fame as a vaudeville performer in the early 1920s before becoming the first star of the Grand Ole Opry in the latter half of the decade. Macon's music is considered the ultimate bridge between 19th-century American folk and vaudeville music and the phonograph and radio-based music of the early 20th-century. Music historian Charles Wolfe wrote, "If people call yodelling Jimmie Rodgers 'the father of country music,' then Uncle Dave must certainly be 'the grandfather of country music'." Macon's polished stage presence and lively personality have made him one of the most enduring figures of early country music. |
Birth and Death Data: Born 1870 (Tennessee), Died March 22, 1952 (Murfreesboro)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1938
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, banjo, composer, leader, lyricist, guitar, speaker
Notes: Frequent subcredit: "The Dixie Dewdrop."
See Also: Dixie Sacred Singers
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 206 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-37157 | 10-in. | 12/20/1926 | On the Dixie Bee Line | Vernon Dalhart | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, lyricist | |
Victor | BVE-87684 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | Over the mountain | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal trio, with banjo and 2 guitars | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BVE-87685 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | When the harvest days are over | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal trio, with banjo and 2 guitars | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-87686 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | One more river to cross | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal trio, with banjo and 2 guitars | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-87687 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | Just one way to the pearly gates | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal trio, with banjo and 2 guitars | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-87688 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | I'll tickle Nancy | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-87689 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | I'll keep my skillet good and greasy | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-011910 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | All in down and out blues | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, lyricist, composer | |
Victor | BS-011911 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Honest confession is good for the soul | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-011912 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Fame apart from God's approval | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, composer | |
Victor | BS-011913 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | The bum hotel | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with violin and banjo | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-011914 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | From Jerusalem to Jericho | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitars | vocalist, lyricist | |
Victor | BS-011915 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Two in one chewing gum | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-011916 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Travelin' down the road | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and violin | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-018644 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Country ham and red gravy | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018645 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Summertime on the Beeno Line | Uncle Dave Macon ; Smoky Mountain Glenn | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018646 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | He won the heart of Sarah Jane | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018647 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Peek-a-boo | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-018648 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Working for my Lord | Uncle Dave Macon ; Smoky Mountain Glenn | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018649 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | She's got the money too | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018650 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Wait till the clouds roll by | Uncle Dave Macon ; Smoky Mountain Glenn | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018651 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Things I don't like to see | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018652 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | They're after me | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018653 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | My daughter wished to marry | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo | |
Victor | BS-018654 | 10-in. | 1/24/1938 | Beautiful love | Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal solo, with banjo | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Macon, Uncle Dave," accessed November 6, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106725.
Macon, Uncle Dave. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106725.
"Macon, Uncle Dave." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Uncle Dave Macon
Discogs: Uncle Dave Macon
Allmusic: Uncle Dave Macon
Grove: Uncle Dave Macon
IMDb: Uncle Dave Macon
Britannica: Uncle Dave Macon
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Macon, Uncle Dave, 1870-1952 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93001028
Wikidata: Uncle Dave Macon - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2492614
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/24788673
MusicBrainz: Uncle Dave Macon - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/bdc82654-bc2d-45e7-aabf-e0494d8e917d
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