Posted on 05/02/2020 5:59:51 AM PDT by rktman
DeFord Bailey walked onto the Grand Ole Opry stage with a slight limp. Decked out in a bow tie, pocket square and polished shoes, he stood on a Coca-Cola crate to offset his 4-foot-11-inch stature. It was 1936. Bailey looked out at the audience, sitting on wooden benches in the Opry’s Dixie Tabernacle, just east of Nashville’s downtown core. He carried a harmonica, or “a harp,” as it was often referred to at the time, in his left hand. When he brought the harmonica to his mouth, he played a tune that sounded like the bold whistle of a locomotive train. For 15 minutes, he played a unique blend of country music and blues, bringing smiles to the eyes of the people in the dusty old tabernacle. Aside from his obvious talent and innovative harmonica technique, Bailey broke cultural barriers by becoming the first black country music star, and he was one of the most beloved Opry musicians of his time. He played harmonica for the Grand Ole Opry from 1925 to 1941, and toured the country with his white Opry peers during the heyday of Jim Crow. Yet it would be decades before Bailey’s pioneering contributions to country music were widely recognized — and the accomplished musician died penniless.
(Excerpt) Read more at getpocket.com ...
Sure have. He actually gets pretty significant exposure in Ken Burns' History of Country Music.
Great story, I never heard of him either. With that being said, I can’t imagine what it was like for him in the south being a black man experiencing real racism......
The racism lasted a long time. In the early 80’s I played in a band in an undisclosed location in the south, and we had two black musicians in the band. It was in an issue a couple places and we refused to play the gigs.
Also a great musician.
Charlie Pride is one of my favorites.
He also played baseball in the Negro League and is a minority owner of the Texas Rangers.
Same here. We’ve attended a couple of his concerts, they were outstanding. As a kid he ranked quite high on my list of CW favorites.
I hate to admit this, but I had family on my father’s side who all lived in East Tennessee. I was an Army brat at the time so didn’t live there. On one occasion while visiting they were listening to the radio and a Charlie Pride tune was playing. They were all commenting on how much they liked him. I asked if they knew he was black. Many refused to believe it and some had some remarks that made me embarrassed to be a part of that family.
I remember one of my aunts just about died when she found out Charlie Pride was black. It took a couple of weeks for her to listen to the radio again.
She still counts Charlie as one of her favorite singers. Took a real shine to him.
I saw an interview with him about a year ago.
He is still full of vigor, and still a massive baseball fan.
He performed a song on his acoustic guitar - and still sounded strong.
He has had an interesting life.
He and Nolan Ryan and a few others bought part of the Rangers some 20+ years ago.
https://youtu.be/_e7VBJTHWxo
Fox chase.
“Him” being Charlie Pride not Deforest Bailey (obviously).
Thanks for that.
At first I thought this was an article about Rufus Payne, who influenced Hank Williams...
“I can’t imagine what it was like for him in the south being a black man experiencing real racism......”
I once talked with an old black man. He was telling me about how great life was for him growing up in Mississippi in the forties.
Reminds me of the gospel songwriter, Thomas Dorsey. So many people think it’s Tommy Dorsey the bandleader who converted to Christian music. Thomas was a wonderful songwriter, and black.
And then there’s Mosie Lister, who people think is black for some reason — but he isn’t.
You think racism was only in the South?
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