|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZPUCKETT, Riley(b George Riley Puckett, 7 May 1884, Alpharetta GA; d 13 July '46, East Point GA) Guitarist and the first country singing star. Teamed with fiddler James Gideon Tanner (b 6 June 1885, Thomas Bridge, near Monroe GA; d 13 May '60, Winder GA) for national fiddle contest '16 (begun by Georgia Old Time Fiddlers' Association '13); went north '24 to record old-time and vaudeville tunes. Columbia A&R man Frank Walker combined them with fiddler Clayton 'Pappy' McMichen (b 26 Jan. 1900, Allatoona GA; d 3 Jan. '70, Battletown KY), banjo player Fate (or Fayte) Norris as Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers (some of them had been involved in a Lick the Skillet Band for competitions). McMichen had worked as an auto mechanic, was also songwriter (e.g. 'Peach Pickin' Time Down In Georgia' '33, co-written and recorded by Jimmie Rodgers). All sang, but Puckett's smooth baritone sold the group; accidentally blinded as an infant, he first recorded '24, thought to be first to yodel on a record ('Rock All Our Babies To Sleep' backed with 'Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane'); his 'My Carolina Home' was a top ten hit '27. His guitar runs were experimental and he would take a song where he found it, while McMichen was infl. by jazz, Tanner strictly old-time: individually they were influential, but as an unlikely group their hotter, rougher sound established the string band and outsold the others (cf. North Carolina Ramblers, etc; see Charlie Poole). The original lineup made about 80 sides before splitting '31; 'Turkey In The Straw' and 'John Henry' '26--7 were the equivalent of top 20 hits (according to Pop Memories) but they made their living from touring: Ralph Peer, not Walker, was one of the first A&R men in trad. music to pay his artists royalties. Skillets' comedy incl. many versions of 'A Corn Likker Still In Georgia'; McMichen helped with this work, always resenting being typed as hillbilly; while Tanner, Uncle Dave Macon, Fiddlin' John Carson, many others were considered comedians as much as musicians in that era. The group was sometimes augmented in the studio, up to four fiddles perhaps infl. later western swing; Tanner's younger brother Arthur played banjo and guitar '26--9. Tanner made more than 500 records, had top ten hit 'Down Yonder' '34 on Bluebird with a later edition of the Skillet Lickers incl. his son Gordon on fiddle. Puckett joined McMichen's Georgia Wildcats for a while (formed '32, later incl. at various times Merle Travis, Lester Flatt), had his own tent show etc; his 'Ragged But Right' was a duo with a mandolin; he was always innovative and influential. He was singing with the Stone Mountain Boys on Atlanta's WACA when he died. McMichen tried fusions of popular forms, playing variety incl. bluegrass, rock'n'roll, dixieland on radio incl. WLW's Boone County Jamboree. National Fiddling Champion each year '34--49; retired '54, occasionally seen on WAVE TV in Louisville; Tanner returned to his chicken farm, was National Fiddle Champion '56. Skillets compilations were A Corn Likker Still In Georgia on Voyager, Hear These New Southern And Guitar Records and Kickapoo Medicine Show on Rounder; on CD The Skillet Lickers '29--31 on County. |