George Reneau

George McKinley Reneau (May 18, 1902 – June 5, 1938) was an American blind street musician who became one of country music's earliest recording artists. Known as "The Blind Musician of the Smoky Mountains", Reneau recorded more than 50 songs on the Vocalion and Edison labels in the mid-1920s. While he is credited on his early recordings as a solo artist on vocals, guitar and harmonica, the singing on many if not most of his songs was by an uncredited Gene Austin, a vaudville performer and Tin Pan Alley composer who would become one of the most successful recording artists of the era.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1901 (Jefferson County), Died 1933 (Knoxville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1925

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar, harmonica

Notes: Often sub-credited as "The Blind Musician of the Smoky Mountains."

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 58 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick 410W-412W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Little rosewood casket Gene Austin Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 413W-415W 10-in. 2/24/1925 The prisoner’s song George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and jew's harp vocalist  
Brunswick 416W-418W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Woman’s suffrage George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and Jew's harp vocalist  
Brunswick 419W-421W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Wild and reckless hobo George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and Jew's harp vocalist  
Brunswick 422W-424W 10-in. 2/24/1925 The lightning express Gene Austin Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 425W-427W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Rock all our babies to sleep Gene Austin Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 428W-429W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Wild Bill Jones George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 430W-431W 10-in. 2/24/1925 The letter edged in black George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1447W-1449W 10-in. 10/14/1925 The sinking of the Titanic George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1450W-1452W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Rovin' gambler George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1453W-1455W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Railroad lover George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1456W-1458W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Gambling on the Sabbath Day George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1459W-1461W 10-in. 10/14/1925 The old man on the hill George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1462W-1464W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Bad companions George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1465W-1467W 10-in. 10/15/1925 The weeping willow tree George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1468W-1470W 10-in. 10/15/1925 May I sleep in your barn tonight, Mister? George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1471W-1473W 10-in. 10/15/1925 Love always has its way George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1479W-1481W 10-in. 10/15/1925 When I shall cross over the dark rolling tide George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1482W-1484W 10-in. 10/15/1925 On top of Old Smoky George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1485W-1486W 10-in. 10/15/1925 When the work's all done this fall George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Brunswick 1487W-1488W 10-in. 10/15/1925 The old rugged cross George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1489W-1491W 10-in. 10/16/1925 The hand of fate George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1492W-1494W 10-in. 10/16/1925 Jack and Joe George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1495W-1497W 10-in. 10/16/1925 I'm glad my wife's in Europe George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Brunswick 1498W-1500W 10-in. 10/16/1925 The fatal wedding George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 58 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Reneau, George," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118.

Reneau, George. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118.

"Reneau, George." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118

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