Zeb Turner

Zeb Turner (June 23, 1915 – January 10, 1978) was an American country music songwriter and guitarist, and pioneer of rockabilly.

He was born William Edward Grishaw in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States, and he renamed himself after a favorite piece of music, "The Zeb Turner Stomp". With his brother James (who took the stage name "Zeke Turner"), also a guitarist, he backed artists such as Hank Williams and Red Foley in the years after World War II. He co-wrote "It's a Sin", a number one hit on the country chart for Eddy Arnold in 1947, with music publisher Fred Rose. Turner also recorded for small record labels such as Bullet and King Records; some of these were "country boogie" tunes which were influential on early rockabilly. His King Records version of Billy Briggs' "Chew Tobacco Rag" was a No. 8 jukebox country and western hit in 1951, while his own "Tennessee Boogie" had reached No. 11 on the same chart in 1949.

Later in the 1950s, Turner was a disc jockey on Baltimore and Washington radio stations.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 23, 1915, Died January 10, 1978

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1946 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, electric guitar, guitar, composer

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor E0VB-3319 10-in. 1/18/1950 I'm a lonesome man Ernie Lee ; Southerners (Ernie Lee) Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2893 10-in. 9/24/1946 It's a sin Eddy Arnold Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1518 10-in. 8/18/1947 Poppin' bubble gum Lonzo and Oscar ; Winston County Pea Pickers Male vocal duet, with string band composer  
Victor D9VB-0858 10-in. 2/2/1949 You're next door to heaven (when you're in Tennessee) Ernie Lee ; Southerners (Ernie Lee) Male vocal solo, with string band composer  
Columbia HCO2355 10-in. 6/4/1947 It's a sin Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia CCO4911 10-in. 11/20/1947 There's no room in my heart (for the blues) Paul Howard and his Cotton Pickers String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia CO40377 10-in. 1/16/1949 Rainbow in my heart George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO40378 10-in. Please don't let me love you George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO40379 10-in. 1/16/1949 Candy kisses George Morgan Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO40685 10-in. 4/11/1949 Country boy Little Jimmy Dickens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO40686 10-in. 4/11/1949 I'm fading fast with the time Little Jimmy Dickens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar, songwriter  
Columbia CO40687 10-in. 4/11/1949 I'll be back a-Sunday Little Jimmy Dickens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO40688 10-in. 4/11/1949 My heart's bouquet Little Jimmy Dickens Male vocal solo, with string band instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Columbia CO46820 10-in. 8/5/1951 There's no room in my heart (for the blues) Melissa Monroe Female vocal solo, with string band songwriter  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Turner, Zeb," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/356089.

Turner, Zeb. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/356089.

"Turner, Zeb." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/356089

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