Sidney J. Harkreader
Sidney Johnson "Fiddlin' Sid" Harkreader (February 26, 1898 — March 19, 1988) was an American Old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was an early member of the Grand Ole Opry, at first accompanying banjoist Uncle Dave Macon and later performing on the program with his own band. In the 1940s, Harkreader formed and briefly toured with the Western band "The Round-Up Gang" before returning again to the Opry. Harkreader was born in Gladeville, Tennessee, a small town in the cedar glades region east of Nashville. His father encouraged him to develop musical abilities, and Harkreader learned to play fiddle at local square dances. Determined to become a professional entertainer, Harkreader first toured as a fiddler for the Loew vaudeville circuit. Around 1923, he paired with Uncle Dave Macon to play old-time music in Nashville, and the following year, the two recorded several sides for Vocalion Records. On November 6, 1925, Harkreader and Macon delivered a performance before a sold-out crowd at the Ryman Auditorium, and the two began performing for the Grand Ole Opry (at the time called WSM's Barn Dance) a few weeks later. Harkreader's typical repertoire included "Old Joe" (which he learned from fellow Opry pioneer Humphrey Bate), "Turkey in the Straw," "Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Ain't Goin' to Rain No More," and "Go Away Mule." Harkreader recorded two dozen tracks for Paramount Records, the first set coming in 1927 accompanied by Hawaiian slide-guitarist Grady Moore, and the second coming the following year accompanied by guitarist Blythe Poteet. In 1935, Harkreader returned to the Opry at the head of a string band, "Sid Harkreader and Company." The band consisted of Harkreader on fiddle and vocals, Emory Martin on mandolin, and Mack McGar on banjo. Around 1940, Harkeader formed "The Round-Up Gang" to record Western music, which had grown steadily in popularity in the previous decade. Harkreader eventually returned to the Opry, however, making guest appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Harkreader is buried at Caraway Cemetery in Gladeville. |
Birth and Death Data: Born February 26, 1898 (Gladeville), Died March 19, 1988
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1929
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar, violin
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 36 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brunswick | C3657 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Darling Zelma Lee | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3658 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Put me in my little bed | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3659 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Life and death of Jesse James | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3660 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Man that rode the mule around the world | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3661 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Tennessee jubilee | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3662 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | New coon in town | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3664 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | For goodness sakes don’t say I told you | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3665 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | We need a change in business all around | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3667 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Mister Johnson | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3670 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Uncle Dave and Sid on a cut up | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Banjo and guitar duet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3671 | 10-in. | 6/20/1929 | Select banjo waltz | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Banjo and guitar duet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3678 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Nobody’s darling on earth | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3679 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Over the mountain | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3688 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Flitting away | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3689 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Traveling down the road | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3691 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Children, I must go | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3692 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | When first I fell in love | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3693 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | Railroadin’ and gamblin’ | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | C3694 | 10-in. | 6/21/1929 | That’s where my money goes | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon | Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | 677W-678W | 10-in. | 4/13/1925 | The dying girl’s message | Sidney J. Harkreader | Male vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | 681W-682W | 10-in. | 4/13/1925 | Dark eyes | Sidney J. Harkreader | Male vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | 687W-688W | 10-in. | 4/14/1925 | New River train | Sidney J. Harkreader ; Sidney J. Harkreader | Male vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | 689W-690W | 10-in. | 4/14/1925 | Where is my boy tonight | Sidney J. Harkreader | Male vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | 691W-692W | 10-in. | 4/14/1925 | I wish I was a single girl again | Sidney J. Harkreader | Male vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | 693W-694W | 10-in. | 4/14/1925 | Many times with you I wandered | Sidney J. Harkreader | Male vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Harkreader, Sidney J.," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111394.
Harkreader, Sidney J.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111394.
"Harkreader, Sidney J.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Sid Harkreader
Discogs: Sidney J. Harkreader
Allmusic: Sidney J. Harkreader
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Harkreader, Sidney J. - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no99044445
Wikidata: Sid Harkreader - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7507809
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/63643295
MusicBrainz: Sid Harkreader - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/daa1d4a4-efa8-4949-826a-de3eff9d7b76
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