Home > Carter Family

impact on later bluegrass, country, "pop", and rock musicians, as well as the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s.

The original group was a trio comprised of Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter (A.P.), his wife, Sara Dougherty Carter ( autoharp), and Maybelle Carter ( guitar). Maybelle was married to A.P.'s brother Ezra (Eck) Carter. All three were born and raised in southwestern Virginia where they were immersed in the tight harmonies of mountain gospel music and shape note singing. Maybelle's distinctive and innovative guitar playing style quickly became a hallmark of the group. Maybelle's daughter, June Carter joined the group in the early 1940s.

The Carters got their start on July 31, 1927 when A.P. convinced Sara and Maybelle (pregnant at the time) to make the journey from

for record producer Ralph Peer who was seeking new talent for the relatively embryonic recording industry. They received $50 for each song they recorded.

In the Fall on 1927 the Victor recording company released a double sided 78 rpm record of the group performing "Wandering Boy" and "Poor Orphan Child". In 1928 another record was released with "The Storms Are on the Ocean" and "Single Girl, Married Girl". This one proved very popular.

On May 27, 1928, Peer had the group travel to Camden, New JerseyThe City of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey in the United States. It is located just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 79,904. Camden is the home of where they recorded many of what would become their signature songs, including:

• "Meet me by the Moonlight Alone"
• "Keep on the Sunny Side"
• "Little Darling, Pal of Mine"
• "Forsaken Love"
• "Anchored in Love"
• "I Ain't Goin' to Work Tomorrow"
• "Will You Miss Me when I'm Gone"
• "Wildwood Flower"
• "River of Jordan"
• "Chewing Gum"
• "John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man"

The group realized $600 for this effort and left with a contract that assured a small royalty for sales of their records and sheet music.

During a February 1929Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 See also 1929 in aviation 1929 in film 1929 in literature 1929 in mu recording session they memorialized:

• "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes"
• "My Clinch Mountain Home"
• "Sweet Fern"
• "Grave on the Green Hillside"
• "Little Moses"
• "Don't Forget This Song"
• "Engine 143"

By the end of 19301930 is the common year starting on Wednesday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 6 The first diesel-engine automobile trip is completed ( Indianapolis, Indiana, to New York City). January 27 Miguel Primo de Rivera resigns January 30 G they had sold 300,000 records nationally.

Realizing that he would benefit financially with each new song he collected and copyrighted, A.P. travelled around the southwestern Virginia area in search of new songs. In the early 1930s he befriended Lesley (Esley) Riddle, a black guitar player from Kingsport. Esley accompanied A.P. on his song collecting trips. Riddle's blues guitar playing style influenced the Carters, especially Maybelle who learned new guitar techniques from watching him play.

In June, 19311931 is the common year starting on Thursday. see link for calendar) Events January January 4 Female aviator Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa January 6 Thomas Edison submits his last patent application. January 22 Sir Isaac Isaacs sworn in as the, the Carters did a recording session in

In the winter of 1938Events January -June January 3 The March of Dimes is established by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. January 11 Frances Moulton is the first woman to become president of a US national bank. January 20 Wedding of king Farouk I of Egypt and Farida Zulficar in Cai- 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 the Carter Family travelled to Texas where they had a twice-daily program on border radio station XERA (later XERF) in Villa Acuña (now

Beginning with the 1939/ 1940 season, June Carter joined the group, this time in San Antonio, Texas, where the programs were pre-recorded and distributed to multiple border radio stations (XELO, XEG, XERB, and XEPN).

In Fall, 1942, the Carters moved their program to WBT radio in

the sunrise slot with the program airing between 5:15 and 6:15 a.m.

Throughout their time together, the Carter Family also appeared in many live performances, often in local schools and churches.

In 1943, the group disbanded after Sara moved permanently to

During the 1960s, revivalist folksingers performed much of the material the Carters had collected or written. For example, on her early Vanguard albums, folk performer Joan Baez sang: "Wildwood Flower", "Little Moses", "Engine 143", "Little Darling, Pal of Mine", and "Gospel Ship".

They were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970. In 1988, the Carter Family was inducted into the

the song "Can the Circle Be Unbroken".

In 1993, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative

A.P., Sara, and Maybelle.

In 2001, the group was in inducted into the