Bradley Kincaid
Encyclopedia
William Bradley Kincaid was an American
folk singer
and radio entertainer.
He was born in Point Level, Garrard County
, Kentucky
but built a music career in the northern states. His first radio appearance came in 1926 when he performed on the National Barn Dance
show on WLS-AM
in Chicago, Illinois. A prolific composer of folk and country music
tunes, the first edition of his 1928 songbook called My Favorite Mountain Ballads sold more than 100,000 copies; later editions brought the total to 400,000. He recorded on Gennett Records
.
In 1935 he was working at WBZ-AM
in Boston, Massachusetts where he performed with a band that included young singer and banjo player Marshall Jones. Kincaid teased the 22-year old fellow Kentuckian for always being grumpy when he came to the studio to do the early morning broadcast, nicknaming him "Grandpa" Jones
. The moniker became permanent for the future Grand Ole Opry
star.
Kincaid moved to Nashville, Tennessee
in 1945 where he too performed on the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1971, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
.
Kincaid died in 1989 in Springfield, Ohio
and was interred there in the Ferncliff Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk singer
Folk Singer
Folk Singer is a 1964 album by Muddy Waters. Waters plays acoustic guitar, backed by Willie Dixon on string bass, Clifton James on drums, and Buddy Guy on acoustic guitar...
and radio entertainer.
He was born in Point Level, Garrard County
Garrard County, Kentucky
Garrard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is pronounced 'Gair-ad' with the third "r" silent. It was formed in 1797 and was named for James Garrard, Governor of Kentucky from 1796 to 1804. Its county seat is Lancaster. The population was 16,912 in the 2010 Census...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
but built a music career in the northern states. His first radio appearance came in 1926 when he performed on the National Barn Dance
National Barn Dance
National Barn Dance, broadcast by WLS-AM in Chicago, Illinois starting in 1924, was one of the first American country music radio programs and a direct precursor of the Grand Ole Opry...
show on WLS-AM
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
in Chicago, Illinois. A prolific composer of folk and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
tunes, the first edition of his 1928 songbook called My Favorite Mountain Ballads sold more than 100,000 copies; later editions brought the total to 400,000. He recorded on Gennett Records
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
.
In 1935 he was working at WBZ-AM
WBZ (AM)
WBZ is the call sign for an AM radio station in Boston, Massachusetts owned by CBS Radio, itself owned by the CBS Corporation. Originally based in and broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts, WBZ was the first commercial radio station in the United States...
in Boston, Massachusetts where he performed with a band that included young singer and banjo player Marshall Jones. Kincaid teased the 22-year old fellow Kentuckian for always being grumpy when he came to the studio to do the early morning broadcast, nicknaming him "Grandpa" Jones
Grandpa Jones
Louis Marshall Jones , known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and "old time" country and gospel music singer...
. The moniker became permanent for the future Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
star.
Kincaid moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 1945 where he too performed on the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1971, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
.
Kincaid died in 1989 in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
and was interred there in the Ferncliff Cemetery.