Sid Harkreader
Encyclopedia
Sidney Harkreader was an American Old-time
fiddle player and string band
leader. He was an early member of the Grand Ole Opry
, at first accompanying banjoist Uncle Dave Macon
and later performing on the program with his own band. In the 1940s, Harkreader formed and briefly toured with the Western
band "The Round-Up Gang" before returning again to the Opry.
Harkreader was born in Gladeville, Tennessee
, a small town in the cedar glades
region east of Nashville
. His father encouraged him to develop musical abilities, and Harkreader learned to play fiddle at local square dance
s. Determined to become a professional entertainer, Harkreader first toured as a fiddler for the Loew vaudeville
circuit. Around 1923, he paired with Uncle Dave Macon to play old-time music in Nashville, and the following year, the two recorded several sides for Vocalion Records
. On November 6, 1925, Harkreader and Macon delivered a legendary performance before a sold-out crowd at the Ryman Auditorium
, and the two began performing for the Grand Ole Opry (at the time called WSM's Barn Dance) a few weeks later. Harkreader's typical repertoire included "Old Joe" (which he learned from fellow Opry pioneer Humphrey Bate
), "Turkey in the Straw
," "Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Ain't Goin' to Rain No More," and "Go Away Mule."
Harkreader recorded two dozen tracks for Paramount Records
, the first set coming in 1927 accompanied by Hawaiian guitarist Grady Moore, and the second coming the following year accompanied by guitarist Blythe Poteet. In 1935, Harkreader returned to the Opry at the head of a string band, "Sid Harkreader and Company." The band consisted of Harkreader on fiddle and vocals, Emory Martin on mandolin
, and Mack McGar on banjo. Around 1940, Harkeader formed "The Round-Up Gang" to record Western music, which had grown steadily in popularity in the previous decade. Harkreader eventually returned to the Opry, however, making guest appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
fiddle player and string band
String band
A string band is an old-time music or jazz ensemble made up mainly or solely of string instruments. String bands were popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and are among the forerunners of modern country music and bluegrass.-String bands in old-time music:...
leader. He was an early member of the 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...
, at first accompanying banjoist Uncle Dave Macon
Uncle Dave Macon
Uncle Dave Macon , born David Harrison Macon—also known as "The Dixie Dewdrop"—was an American banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian...
and later performing on the program with his own band. In the 1940s, Harkreader formed and briefly toured with the Western
Western music (North America)
Western music originated as a form of American folk music. Originally composed by and about the people who settled and worked throughout the Western United States and Western Canada. Directly related musically to old English, Scottish, and Irish folk ballads, Western music celebrates the life of...
band "The Round-Up Gang" before returning again to the Opry.
Harkreader was born in Gladeville, Tennessee
Gladeville, Tennessee
Gladeville is an unincorporated community in Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The community is named for the surrounding cedar glades— a unique type of ecosystem that thrives in the thin or barren soil of south Wilson County...
, a small town in the cedar glades
Cedar glades
A cedar glade is a habitat type unique to the central eastern United States. Cedar glades occur where limestone bedrock occurs near or at the surface. The glade areas proper have very shallow soil or exposed bedrock in some areas. Because of the shallow soil and the extreme conditions created by...
region east of Nashville
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...
. His father encouraged him to develop musical abilities, and Harkreader learned to play fiddle at local square dance
Square dance
Square dance is a folk dance with four couples arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going counter-clockwise until getting to Couple 4. Couples 1 and 3 are known as the head couples, while Couples 2 and 4 are the side couples...
s. Determined to become a professional entertainer, Harkreader first toured as a fiddler for the Loew vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
circuit. Around 1923, he paired with Uncle Dave Macon to play old-time music in Nashville, and the following year, the two recorded several sides for Vocalion Records
Vocalion Records
Vocalion Records is a record label active for many years in the United States and in the United Kingdom.-History:Vocalion was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Piano Company of New York City, which introduced a retail line of phonographs at the same time. The name was derived from one of their...
. On November 6, 1925, Harkreader and Macon delivered a legendary performance before a sold-out crowd at the Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium is a 2,362-seat live performance venue, located at 115 5th Avenue North, in Nashville, Tennessee and is best known as the historic home of the Grand Ole Opry....
, and the two began performing for the Grand Ole Opry (at the time called WSM's Barn Dance) a few weeks later. Harkreader's typical repertoire included "Old Joe" (which he learned from fellow Opry pioneer Humphrey Bate
Humphrey Bate
Humphrey Bate was an American harmonica player and string band leader. He was the first musician to play old-time music on Nashville-area radio, and is generally regarded as the first performer on what would eventually become the Grand Ole Opry. Bate and his band, which had been given the name "Dr...
), "Turkey in the Straw
Turkey in the Straw
"Turkey in the Straw" is a well-known American folk song dating from the early 19th century.The song's tune was first popularized in the late 1820s and early 1830s by blackface performers, notably George Washington Dixon, Bob Farrell and George Nichols. Another song, "Zip Coon", was sung to the...
," "Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Ain't Goin' to Rain No More," and "Go Away Mule."
Harkreader recorded two dozen tracks for Paramount Records
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
, the first set coming in 1927 accompanied by Hawaiian guitarist Grady Moore, and the second coming the following year accompanied by guitarist Blythe Poteet. In 1935, Harkreader returned to the Opry at the head of a string band, "Sid Harkreader and Company." The band consisted of Harkreader on fiddle and vocals, Emory Martin on mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and Mack McGar on banjo. Around 1940, Harkeader formed "The Round-Up Gang" to record Western music, which had grown steadily in popularity in the previous decade. Harkreader eventually returned to the Opry, however, making guest appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Discography
- Nashville: The Early String Bands, Volume 1 (County RecordsCounty RecordsCounty Records also expanded into the bluegrass music genre, although Freeman preferred those artists who stayed the closest to their old-time roots. The label's first bluegrass release was 1965's Blue Ridge Bluegrass featuring Larry Richardson and the Blue Ridge Boys.-Related businesses:Freeman...
CO-3521, 2000)— contains version of "Old Joe" recorded by Harkreader and Grady Moore in 1927