Roy Acuff
Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful. In 1952, Hank Williams told Ralph Gleason, "He's the biggest singer this music ever knew. You booked him and you didn't worry about crowds. For drawing power in the South, it was Roy Acuff, then God." Acuff began his music career in the 1930s and gained regional fame as the singer and fiddler for his group, the Smoky Mountain Boys. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1938, and although his popularity as a musician waned in the late 1940s, he remained one of the Opry's key figures and promoters for nearly four decades. In 1942, Acuff and Fred Rose founded Acuff-Rose Music, the first major Nashville-based country music publishing company, which signed such artists as Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and the Everly Brothers. In 1962, Acuff became the first living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. |
Birth and Death Data: Born September 15, 1903 (Maynardville), Died November 23, 1992 (Nashville)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1956
Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, vocalist, violin, composer, lyricist, songwriter, Musical group, arranger, lead vocal, instrumentalist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 51-75 of 132 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | C4315 | 10-in. | 12/19/1944 | Wait for the light to shine | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | C4371 | 10-in. | 2/17/1945 | Searching for a soldier's grave | Bailes Brothers | Male vocal duet, with string band | composer, lyricist | |
Columbia | C4372 | 10-in. | 2/17/1945 | As long as I live | Bailes Brothers | Male vocal duet, with string band | songwriter | |
Columbia | C4428 | 10-in. | 8/2/1945 | No one will ever know | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | C4430 | 10-in. | 8/2/1945 | I think I'll go home and cry | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | C4431 | 10-in. | 8/2/1945 | We live in two different worlds | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | C4432 | 10-in. | 8/2/1945 | Pins and needles (in my heart) | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4514 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | Golden treasure | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | HCO4516 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | Let me be the first to say I'm sorry | Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4517 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | All the world is lonely now | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4518 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | That glory bound train | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4519 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | Waiting for my call to glory | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4520 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | Gone, gone, gone (but not forgotten) | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4521 | 10-in. | 3/11/1946 | Tell me now or tell me never | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4700 | 10-in. | 12/16/1946 | The tear stained letter | Cumberland Mountain Folks ; Molly O'Day | String band, with male & female vocal duet | composer, lyricist | |
Columbia | CCO4893 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | When they take that last look at me | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | Male vocal solo, with string band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin | |
Columbia | CCO4894 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | This world can't stand long | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, composer, lyricist | |
Columbia | CCO4895 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | I saw the light | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4896 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | Heartaches and flowers | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin | |
Columbia | CCO4897 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | The songbirds are singing in heaven | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4898 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | Unloved and unclaimed | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, songwriter | |
Columbia | CCO4899 | 10-in. | 11/18/1947 | I had a dream | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Columbia | CCO4900 | 10-in. | 11/19/1947 | Thank God | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | vocalist, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4901 | 10-in. | 11/19/1947 | You'll reap these tears | Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader | |
Columbia | CCO4902 | 10-in. | 11/19/1947 | Its just about time | Roy Acuff ; Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Roy Acuff ," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313.
Roy Acuff . (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313.
"Roy Acuff ." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Roy Acuff
Discogs: Roy Acuff
Allmusic: Roy Acuff
Grove: Roy Acuff
RILM: Roy Acuff
RISM: Roy Acuff
IMDb: Roy Acuff
Britannica: Roy Acuff
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Acuff, Roy - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83042805
Wikidata: Roy Acuff - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q455773
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/32182376
MusicBrainz: Roy Acuff - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d7db24ec-d95b-409a-9841-afd946701435
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