Ernest Thompson
Ernest Errott Thompson (February 20, 1892 – December 7, 1961) was a blind street musician from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who was one of the earliest country musicians to be recorded in the United States. In his sessions with Columbia Records in 1924, Thompson recorded many songs that today are considered among the most iconic from country music's early history, including "Are You from Dixie?", "Old-Time Religion", "Bury Me Beneath the Willow", "Wreck of the Southern Old 97", "Life's Railway to Heaven" and "Little Rosewood Casket". Blinded as the result of a work-related accident in his late teens, Thompson spent most of his life as a street musician, singing to his own accompaniment on guitar and harmonica. In 1924, he was discovered by a Columbia A&R (Artist & Repertoire) representative who signed him to a recording contract. Thompson traveled to New York City for three recording sessions that year and returned in 1930 for two more sessions. However, sales of his records proved disappointing, and Columbia cancelled his contract. After a couple sessions with another label, Thompson's recording career ended, and he returned to his life as an itinerant musician, playing on the streets well into his fifties. |
Birth and Death Data: Born February 20, 1892, Died December 7, 1961 (High Point)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1930
Roles Represented in DAHR: harmonica, guitar, vocalist, banjo, kazoo
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 51 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | 81724 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | War town quick-step | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81725 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Mississippi sawyer | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81726 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Don't put a tax on the beautiful girls | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81727 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Are you from Dixie? | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81728 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Little brown jug | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81729 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | How are you goin' to wet your whistle? | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81730 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Red Wing | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica (self-accompaniment) | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81731 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Snow deer | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81732 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Sparrow bird waltz | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, harmonica, guitar | |
Columbia | 81733 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Kiss waltz | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81734 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Yield not to temptation | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with harmonica and guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81735 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Life's railway to heaven | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with harmonica and guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81736 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Yellow rose in Texas | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81737 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Soldier's joy | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81742 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | The wreck of the Southern Old '97 | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81743 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | Lightning Express | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81744 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | Chicken roost behind the moon | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with banjo and harmonica | vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81745 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | Coon crap game | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with banjo and harmonica | instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81746 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | Frankie Baker | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81747 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | Jessie James | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with banjo | instrumentalist, banjo, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81748 | 10-in. | 4/26/1924 | Climbing up the golden stairs | Ernest Errott Thompson | Harmonica solo, with banjo | instrumentalist, banjo, harmonica | |
Columbia | 81961 | 10-in. | 9/9/1924 | Weeping willow tree | Ernest Errott Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Columbia | 81983 | 10-in. | 9/9/1924 | The little rosebud casket | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Columbia | 81984 | 10-in. | 9/9/1924 | The old time religion | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Columbia | 81985 | 10-in. | 9/9/1924 | I'm going down to Jordan | Ernest Thompson | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Thompson, Ernest," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115306.
Thompson, Ernest. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115306.
"Thompson, Ernest." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Thompson, Ernest Errott, 1892-1961 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2010104966
Wikidata: Ernest Thompson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1356536
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/152849990
MusicBrainz: Ernest Thompson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/2ee0d848-b9a1-4df7-9724-fa91f1703abe
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