G. B. Grayson
Gilliam Banmon Grayson (November 11, 1887 – August 16, 1930) was an American Old-time fiddle player and singer. Mostly blind from infancy, Grayson is chiefly remembered for a series of sides recorded with guitarist Henry Whitter between 1927 and 1930 that would later influence numerous country, bluegrass, and rock musicians. Grayson wrote much of his own material, but was also instrumental in adapting several traditional Appalachian ballads to fiddle and guitar formats. His music has been recorded or performed by musicians such as Bob Dylan, Doc Watson, Mick Jagger, the Kingston Trio, and dozens of bluegrass artists, including the Stanley Brothers and Mac Wiseman. |
Birth and Death Data: Born November 11, 1887 (North Carolina), Died August 16, 1930 (Virginia)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1930
Roles Represented in DAHR: violin, vocalist, composer, speaker, arranger, lyricist
Notes: Full name is George Banman Grayson.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 26 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-40302 | 10-in. | 10/18/1927 | Handsome Molly | Grayson and Whitter | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-40303 | 10-in. | 10/18/1927 | He is coming to us dead | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, composer | |
Victor | BVE-40304 | 10-in. | 10/18/1927 | Don't go out tonight, my darling | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-40305 | 10-in. | 10/18/1927 | Rose Conley | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-40306 | 10-in. | 10/18/1927 | Ommie wise | G. B. Grayson | Male vocal solo, with violin (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, composer | |
Victor | BVE-40307 | 10-in. | 10/18/1927 | Train forty-five | Grayson and Whitter | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, speaker | |
Victor | BVE-46630 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | The red and green signal lights | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-46631 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | Joking Henry | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, composer | |
Victor | BVE-46632 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | There's a man goin' round takin' names | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, composer | |
Victor | BVE-46633 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | The nine-pound hammer | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal duet | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-46634 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | Short life of trouble | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-46635 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | I've always been a rambler | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, composer | |
Victor | BVE-46636 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | Where are you going, Alice? | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-46637 | 10-in. | 7/31/1928 | A dark road is a hard road to travel | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, composer | |
Victor | BVE-46638 | 10-in. | 8/1/1928 | Barnyard serenade | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with calling | speaker, composer, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-46639 | 10-in. | 8/1/1928 | Little Maggie with a dram glass in her hand | Grayson and Whitter | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-56309 | 10-in. | 9/30/1929 | On the banks of the old Tennessee | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-56310 | 10-in. | 9/30/1929 | Never be as fast as I have been | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-56311 | 10-in. | 9/30/1929 | I have lost you darling, true love | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-56312 | 10-in. | 9/30/1929 | Tom Dooley | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with male vocal solo | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-56313 | 10-in. | 9/30/1929 | Going down the Lee Highway | Grayson and Whitter | Violin and guitar duet, with dialogue | composer, speaker, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-56322 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | I saw a man at the close of day | Grayson and Whitter | Vocal and instrumental ensemble | arranger, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, speaker | |
Victor | BVE-56323 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | The Coal Creek mines | Grayson and Whitter | Vocal and instrumental ensemble | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, speaker | |
Victor | BVE-56324 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | What you gonna do with the baby | Grayson and Whitter | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, speaker | |
OKeh | W403925 | 10-in. | 4/24/1930 | On the banks of the old Tennessee | Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate | Female-male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar | composer, lyricist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Grayson, G. B.," accessed November 5, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110679.
Grayson, G. B.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110679.
"Grayson, G. B.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 5 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Grayson, G. B. (Gilliam Banmon), 1887-1930 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98007933
Wikidata: G.B. Grayson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1484229
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/29143343
MusicBrainz: G.B. Grayson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a2e20a1b-b690-46d4-b6a3-0513750cd430
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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