Roy Acuff

Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful. In 1952, Hank Williams told Ralph Gleason, "He's the biggest singer this music ever knew. You booked him and you didn't worry about crowds. For drawing power in the South, it was Roy Acuff, then God."

Acuff began his music career in the 1930s and gained regional fame as the singer and fiddler for his group, the Smoky Mountain Boys. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1938, and although his popularity as a musician waned in the late 1940s, he remained one of the Opry's key figures and promoters for nearly four decades. In 1942, Acuff and Fred Rose founded Acuff-Rose Music, the first major Nashville-based country music publishing company, which signed such artists as Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and the Everly Brothers. In 1962, Acuff became the first living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 15, 1903 (Maynardville), Died November 23, 1992 (Nashville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, vocalist, violin, composer, lyricist, songwriter, Musical group, arranger, lead vocal, instrumentalist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 132 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-071019 10-in. 9/29/1941 The precious jewel Wade Mainer ; Sons of the Mountaineers String band, with vocal composer  
Victor D6VB-2963 10-in. 9/30/1946 All the world is lonely now Buckeye Boys ; Cliff Carlisle Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia B13 10-in. 3/22/1937 Great speckle bird no.2 Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader  
Columbia HCO807 10-in. 5/28/1942 Wreck on the highway Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader, composer, vocalist, lyricist  
Columbia HCO808 10-in. 5/28/1942 Fire ball mail Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia HCO809 10-in. 5/28/1942 I'll reap my harvest in heaven Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia HCO810 10-in. 5/28/1942 Night train to Memphis Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia H811 10-in. 6/1/1942 Prodigal son Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia HCO812 10-in. 6/1/1942 Low and lonely Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia H813 10-in. 6/1/1942 Write me sweetheart Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal duet vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin, composer, lyricist  
Columbia HCO818 10-in. 6/1/1942 They can only fill one grave Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin, composer, lyricist  
Columbia H820 10-in. 6/4/1942 Don't make me go to bed and I'll be good Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia H822 10-in. 6/4/1942 Not a word from home Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal duet vocalist, leader, composer, lyricist  
Columbia H823 10-in. 6/4/1942 Do you wonder why Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, composer, lyricist  
Columbia H824 10-in. 6/4/1942 I'll forgive you but I can't forget Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia C1581 10-in. 10/20/1936 Great speckle bird Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans String band, with male vocal solo Musical group, instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Columbia C1582 10-in. 10/20/1936 My mountain home sweet home Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans String band, with male vocal trio vocalist, Musical group, instrumentalist, violin, composer, lyricist, leader  
Columbia C1589 10-in. 10/21/1936 Wabash Cannon Ball Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans String band, with male vocal solo leader, Musical group  
Columbia C1590 10-in. 10/21/1936 Freight train blues Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans String band, with male vocal solo leader, Musical group  
Columbia C1598 10-in. 10/22/1936 New greenback dollar Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, Musical group, instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Columbia C1599 10-in. 10/22/1936 Steamboat whistle blues Roy Acuff and his Crazy Tennesseans Male vocal solo, with two guitars Musical group, leader  
Columbia HCO2203 10-in. 1/28/1947 I talk to myself about you Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia HCO2204 10-in. 1/28/1947 Freight train blues Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia HCO2205 10-in. 1/28/1947 (Our own) Jole Blon Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, arranger, leader  
Columbia HCO2206 10-in. 1/28/1947 Tennessee Central (Number 9) Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader  
(Results 1-25 of 132 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Roy Acuff ," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313.

Roy Acuff . (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313

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