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
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 | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
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 | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 425W-427W | 10-in. | 2/24/1925 | Rock all our babies to sleep | Gene Austin | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 428W-429W | 10-in. | 2/24/1925 | Wild Bill Jones | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 430W-431W | 10-in. | 2/24/1925 | The letter edged in black | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1447W-1449W | 10-in. | 10/14/1925 | The sinking of the Titanic | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1450W-1452W | 10-in. | 10/14/1925 | Rovin' gambler | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1453W-1455W | 10-in. | 10/14/1925 | Railroad lover | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1456W-1458W | 10-in. | 10/14/1925 | Gambling on the Sabbath Day | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1459W-1461W | 10-in. | 10/14/1925 | The old man on the hill | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1462W-1464W | 10-in. | 10/14/1925 | Bad companions | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1465W-1467W | 10-in. | 10/15/1925 | The weeping willow tree | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
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 | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1471W-1473W | 10-in. | 10/15/1925 | Love always has its way | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
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 | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1482W-1484W | 10-in. | 10/15/1925 | On top of Old Smoky | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1485W-1486W | 10-in. | 10/15/1925 | When the work's all done this fall | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1487W-1488W | 10-in. | 10/15/1925 | The old rugged cross | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1489W-1491W | 10-in. | 10/16/1925 | The hand of fate | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1492W-1494W | 10-in. | 10/16/1925 | Jack and Joe | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
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 | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1498W-1500W | 10-in. | 10/16/1925 | The fatal wedding | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Brunswick | 1501W-1503W | 10-in. | 10/16/1925 | The two orphans | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Edison | 9727 | 10-in. | 9/22/1924 | Lonesome road blues | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9728 | 10-in. | 9/22/1924 | Blue Ridge blues | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9729 | 10-in. | 9/22/1924 | Turkey in the straw | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9730 | 10-in. | 9/23/1924 | Little brown jug | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9731 | 10-in. | 9/23/1924 | You will never miss your mother until she is gone | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9732 | 10-in. | 9/23/1924 | Arkansas traveler (Breakdown) | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9735 | 10-in. | 9/24/1924 | Life's railway to heaven | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Edison | 9736 | 10-in. | 9/24/1924 | Susie Ann | Blue Ridge Duo | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica | |
Vocalion | 13054 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Wreck on the Southern ‘97 | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13058 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Lonesome road blues | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13061 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Little brown jug | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13069 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | You will never miss your mother till she’s gone | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13072 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Turkey in the straw | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13076 | 10-in. | April 1924 | Life's railway to heaven | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13079 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Casey Jones | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13112 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Susie Ann | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13114 | 10-in. | May 1924 | Blue Ridge blues | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13116 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | When you and I were young, Maggie | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13120 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Here rattler here | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13122 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Arkansas traveler | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13666-13667 | 10-in. | 9/10/1924 | Red Wing | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13677-13678 | 10-in. | 9/12/1924 | Jesse James | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13679-13680 | 10-in. | 9/12/1924 | Birmingham | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13681-13682 | 10-in. | 9/12/1924 | New Market wreck | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13687-13688 | 10-in. | 9/15/1924 | Smoky Mountain blues | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13689-13691 | 10-in. | 9/15/1924 | The baggage coach ahead | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13698-13699 | 10-in. | 9/16/1924 | The C & O wreck | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13700-13701 | 10-in. | 9/16/1924 | We’re floating down the stream of time | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13702-13703 | 10-in. | 9/17/1924 | The bald-headed end of the broom | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13704-13705 | 10-in. | 9/17/1924 | My Redeemer | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13706-13708 | 10-in. | 9/17/1924 | I’ve got the railroad blues | George Reneau | Male vocal solo | vocalist | |
Vocalion | 13718-13719 | 10-in. | 9/17/1924 | Softly and tenderly | George Reneau | Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica | instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Reneau, George," accessed July 6, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118.
Reneau, George. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved July 6, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118.
"Reneau, George." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 July 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: George Reneau
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Reneau, George, 1901-1933 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2006075225
Wikidata: George Reneau - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1508151
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/56368998
ISNI: 0000 0000 4431 2656 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000044312656
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