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Texas Fiddlers recorded prior to 1942 (or so)

As researched by Guthrie T. Meade

See Texas Fiddle Bands (FRC409)

Jesse Ashlock (Feb 22, 1915 - Aug 9, 1976)

• Walker Co., TX, to Denton Co., then Ft. Worth when 11)
• 1935-1941 commercial recordings
• [Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys; Bill Boyd and His Cowboy Ramblers]

Hence Barrow

• Odessa, Ector Co., TX
• John A. Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Odessa, TX 1942
• AFS 5647 B2 Ragtime Annie
• AFS 5647 B3 Chicken Reel
• AFS 5652 A2 Flop-Eared Mule
• AFS 5652 A3 Schottische
• AFS 5673 A1 Rye Waltz
• AFS 5673 A2 Turkey in the Straw

Sheldon Bennett (b. July 27, 1919 in DeRitter, La,

• moved to Port Arthur, TX as child)
• 1938-1941 commercial recordings
• [Hank Penny and His Radio Cowboys; Hi-Flyers]

Nat Bird

• Dallas, TX
• 1929 commercial recordings
• [Nat Bird & Tom Collins]
• Hornpipe Medley / Medley of Old Fiddler's Favorites (Br 376)

Moses J. Bonner (Mar 1 1847-Sep 2 1939)

• born Franklin Co., AL, moved to TX in 1854 - Ft. Worth
• 1925 commercial recordings
• Yearlings in the Canebreak; The Gal on the Log/ Dusty Miller; Ma Ferguson (Vi 19669)

Al Britz

• Falfurrias, Brooke Co., TX
• John A. Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Falfurrias, TX, 1941
• fiddle duet with J.H. Heathcock
• AFS 5638 A1 Durang's Hornpipe
• AFS 5638 A2 Widow Hayes
• AFS 5638 B1 Leather Britches
• AFS 5638 B2 Leather Britches
• AFS 5638 B3 Fisher's Hornpipe
• AFS 5640 A1 Cotton-eyed Joe
• AFS 5640 A2 Tom and Jerry
• AFS 5640 B1 Brown Bowen

Cecil Brower (Nov 27, 1914)

• Bowie, Montague Co., Tx
• 1934-1941 commercial recordings
• [Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies; Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers; Lightcrust Doughboys]

Cliff Bruner (ca. 1916)

• Harris Co., Tx
• 1936-1941 commercial recordings
• [Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies; Cliff Bruner and His Texas Wanderers; Cliff Bruner and His Boys]

Alec Buckner

• Lubbock, Lubbock Co., Tx
• recorded for the Archive of Folk Song, Lubbock, Tx 1937 (band with square dance caller) [by John A. Lomax?]
• AFS 905 A Mississippi Sawyer
• AFS 905 B Devil's Dream
• AFS 918 A Sally Johnson
• AFS 918 B New Broom
• AFS 932 A Nobody's Sweetheart
• AFS 947 A Eighth of January
• AFS 047 B Soldier's Joy

Milton Burnett

• Throckmorton, Throckmorton Co., Tx
• John A. Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Throckmorton, TX, Oct 1935
• AFS 670 A2 Green Corn

Bernard Cartwright (ca. 1890s-Jun 20, 1955)

• Knox Co., Tx; Boerne, Kendall Co., TX
• 1927-1934 commercial recordings
• [Cartwright Brothers]

Howard C. Cawley (Oct 14, 1900-ca. 1970s)

• Bonham, Fannin Co., TX moved to OK in 1914
• 1929-1930 commercial recordings
• [Jack Cawley's Oklahoma Ridge Runners]

Jack Cawley (Sep 14, 1898-Sep 1968)

• Bonham, Fannin Co., TX moved to OK in 1914
• 1929-1930 commercial recordings
• [Jack Cawley's Oklahoma Ridge Runners]

D.A. Champagne

• 1929 commercial recordings (recorded in El Paso)
• [Rodeo Trio]

J.R. Chatwell (ca. 1915)

• Stamford, TX
• 1941 commercial recordings
• [Adolph Hofner and San Antonians; Modern Mountaineers]

William B. Chenoweth (Dec 1867)

• Palestine, Anderson Co., Tx
• 1924-1926 commercial recordings
• [Chenoweth's Cornfield Symphony Orchestra; The Texas Fiddlin' Wampus Cat and His Kittens]
• The Last Shot Got Him / Hot Foot, Step & Fetch It (OK 40246)
• Big White Rooster and the Little Hen / Arkansas Wampus Cat (OK 45025)
• Frolic of the Wampus Cat (Pm 331720

E. Ben Christian

• Milam Co., Tx
• 1937-1940 commercial recordings
• [Bar-X Cowboys]

Robert Cook

• Dallas, Tx (?)
• 1928 commercial recordings
• [Robert Cook's Old Time Fiddlers]
• Medley of Old-Time Fiddlers' Favorites parts 1 &2 (Vo 5265)
• [Mississippi Sawyer/Cowboy's Quickstep/Soldier's Joy/Hop Light Ladies/Arkansas Traveler/Sally Johnson/Sheep & the Hog Walking Through the Pasture/Turkey in the Straw/Billy in the Low Ground/Leather Breeches]

J.B. Cranfill

• [recorded with Eck Robertson]

Audrey P. "Art" Davis (ca. 1912)

• Dallas, TX
• 1934-1935 commercial recordings
• [Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers; Roy Newman and His Boys]

Link Davis

• [Crystal Springs, TX?]
• 1937 commercial recordings
• [Crystal Springs Ramblers]
• Springtown Shuffle (unissued)
• Fort Worth Stomp (Vo 03646)

Tom Dickey

• West Texas
• 1936-1938 commercial recordings
• [Tune Wranglers; Tom Dickey's Show Boys]

J.D. Dillingham

• near Austin, TX
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Austin, 1935
• AFS 567 A1 Sixteen Days in Georgia
• AFS 567 A2 Turkey in the Straw
• AFS 578 B1 The Scolding Wife
• AFS 578 B2 Sally Johnson

Hugh Farr (Dec 6, 1903)

• Llano, Llano Co. TX, moved to CA in 1925
• 1930-1941 Commercial recordings/radio fiddling
• [Len Nash & His Country Boys; Sons of the Pioneers)

William "Bub" Glenn

• Grapevine, Tarrant Co., TX
• 1930 commercial recording [Grapevine Coon Hunters]
• The Grapevine Waltz / The Droan Waltz (Br 584)

Frank Epps Goodwyn (Jun 28, 1911)

• Alice, Jim Wells Co., TX
• John A and Ruby T Lomax recording for Archive of Folk Song, 1939, Sarita, TX
• AFS 2518 A1 Chinese Breakdown

Mrs. Lennie (Williams) Goodwyn (Jul 15 1886-Aug 26, 1958)

• Ramirena, Live Oak Co., TX
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song 1941, Hebbronville, TX
• AFS 5622 A Walk Along John, To Kansas
• AFS 5622 B1 Sandy Land
• AFS 5622 B2 Thump the Devil's Eye Out
• AFS 5623 A1 Soft Soap (Nigger's Wood-Pile)
• AFS 5623 A2 Soldier's Joy
• AFS 5623 A3 El Gallo (The Rooster)
• AFS 5623 B1 Rye Whiskey
• AFS 5623 B2 Bonaparte's Retreat
• AFS 5623 B3 Take Me To the Graveyard

Jeff Guthrie

• Pampa, TX
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Sept 1942, Pampa, TX
• AFS 6964 B1 Listen to the Mocking Bird
• AFS 6964 B2 Grey Eagle
• AFS 6964 B3 I'll Remember You Love in My Prayers
• AFS 6965 A1 Dying Cowboy
• AFS 6966 A1 Roosters Crow For Midnight
• AFS 6966 B1 Nameless Breakdown
• AFS 6966 B2 Done Gone Breakdown
• AFS 6967 B2 Old Judge Parker Take the Shackles Off Me

Leon "Lonnie" Hall

• [TX?]
• 1935 commercial recordings
• [Leon's Lone Star Cowboys]

Oscar Harper (d. ca. 1940s)

• Terrell, Kaufman Co., TX
• 1928-1929 commercial recordings; 1942 AFS
• Ragtime Annie (OK unissued)
• Kelly Waltz / Bouquet Waltz (OK 45227)
• She Gave Up/Sally Johnson (Vo 5403)
• Dallas Bound/Terrell Texas Blues (OK 45420)
• Twinkle Little Star/Bitter Creek (OK 45485)
• Beaumont Rag/Billy On The Low Ground (Ok 45397)
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Feb 1942, Dallas, TX
• AFS 5645 A Girl I Left Behind Me
• AFS 5646 A Sally Goodin
• AFS 5646 B Bitter Creek
• AFS 5647 A Girl I Left Behind Me

Joe Holley (?)

• [TX?]
• 1937; 1942 commercial recordings
• [Crystal Springs Ramblers; Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys]

Carroll Hubbard (Jan 22 1919)

• Weatherford & Ft. Worth, TX; Dallas, TX
• 1938 commercial recordings
• [Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers]

Joe Hughes

• [TX]
• 1929 commercial recording
• [Solomon & Hughes]
• Ragtime Annie/Sally Johnson (Vi 40244)

Jess Humphries (ca. 1889-Feb 1976)

• White Mound, near Howe, TX, died in Burnet, Burnet Co., TX
• 1930 commercial recordings
• [Humphries Brothers]
• Ragged Ann Rag/Good Old Summer Time (OK 45489)
• Black and White Rag/St. Louis Tickle (OK 45464)
• What Made the Wildcat Wild?/Sweet Bunch of Daisies (Ok45501)
• After the Ball/Over the Waves (Sobre Las Olas) (Ok 45478)

Prince Albert Hunt (ca. 1901-Mar 21, 1931)

• Terrell, Kaufman Co., TX
• 1928-1929 commercial recordings
• [Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers]
• Katy on Time/Blues in a Bottle (OK 45230)
• Canada Waltz/Oklahoma Rag (OK 45360)
• Waltz of the Roses/Wake Up Jacob (OK 45375)
• Houston Slide (OK 45446)
• Ragtime Annie (OK unissued)

Clifton S. "Sleepy" Johnson (ca. 1909)

• Ft. Worth, TX
• 1938; 1940 commercial recordings
• [Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys; Hi-Flyers]

Marvin Richard Jones (ca. 1920-25)

• Cypress, Harris Co., TX
• 1940 Commercial recordings
• [Port Arthur Jubileers; Village Boys]
• Jones Stomp/Jeep's Blues (De 5854)
• Texas Star (De 5839
• Pussywillow (De 5822)
• A Paul Jones Dance (Bb 8717)
• Tulsa Twist (De 5949)

Dempson Lewis (ca. 1881)

• b. San Antonio, TX
• 1929 commercial recordings [Lewis Brothers]
• Bull At the Wagon/Sally Johnson (Vi 40172)
• When Summer Comes Again/Caliope - Schottische (Vi 40187)

Otis J. Light (Jan 29 1892-Nov 10, 1980)

• Llano Co., TX
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Llano, TX, Jan 1937
• AFS 899 A1 Liza Jane
• AFS 899 A2 Old Joe Clark
• AFS 899 B2 Whoa, Mule, Whoa (with JD Dillingham, bjo)
• AFS 900 A1 True Battle of I Don't Care (with James Light, bjo)
• AFS 900 B1 Soldier's Joy (with Vernon Light, fiddle)
• AFS 901 A1 Breakdown with Calling (with JD Dillingham, bjo)

Capt. Charles H. McKinney

• [resided in Dallas, TX]
• [steamboat man on the Forked Deer River in western Tennessee]
• 1929 commercial recordings "Capt. McKinney & E.L. Graham"
• Give Me Back the Fifteen Cents / Soap Suds Over the Fence (OK unissued)
• Evening Star Waltz/Kiss Waltz (OK unissued)

Ted Markle

• Winnsboro, TX
• 1925 commercial recordings
• Reel of Old Tunes/Long Horn Pipes/Indian Dance (all unissued)

Curt "Dott" Massey (May 3, 1910)

• Midland Co., TX moved to Roswell, NW at age 6
• 1934-35 commercial recordings [The Westerners, and on WLS Barn Dance]

Henry Austin "Dad" Massey (ca. 1866-ca.1949)

• b. Cleveland Co., Ark, moved to Fannin Co., TX after 1880)
• 1935;1939 commercial recordings
• [Dad Massey and Family; The Westerners; WLS Barn Dance]
• Tugboat & Pineywoods/Dixie Medley (ARC 7-03-53)
• Durang's Hornpipe/Ragtime Annie (ARC 6-11-53)
• Done Gone/Sailor's Hornpipe (ARC unissued)
• Kasoos Hornpipe/Rochester Schottische/El Capitan/New Roswell Schottische (all unissued)

Andrew J. Mears (d. ca. 1973-74) [possibly the same as J.A. "Jack" Meyers]

• Austin, TX [also spelled Miers in Meade tape purchase, and in Lomax's AFS Checklist]
• SSDI, Andrew Mears, b. Nov 19, 1892; d Aug 1975, Mansfield, Tarrant Co.
• Recorded by John A Lomax for Archive of Folk Song, Oct 1935, Austin TX with J.D. Dillingham on banjo[[ SSDI Jefferson D Dillingham, Nov 25 1898 d. Austin, May 5, 1998. and another Jefferson D Dillingham b. in 1867
• AFS 537 B1 Fiddle Tune
• AFS 540 A1 Breakdown Number 1
• AFS 540 A2 Breakdown Number 2
• AFS 540 B1 Breakdown N umber 3
• AFS 540 B2 Breakdown Number 4
• AFS 543 A1 Arkansas Traveler
• AFS 543 A2 Durant Hornpipe
• AFS 543 A3 Raggedy Ann
• Feb 1936 for John A Lomax and Archive of Folk Song:
• A.J. Mears, fiddle; J.D. Dillingham, banjo; J.W. Mears, piano
• AFS 623 A1 Dusty Miller
• AFS 623 A2 Rickett's Hornpipe

Jess Morris (ca. 1878-ca.1953)

• Vega, TX
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, May 3, 1942, Dallas, TX
• AFS 5648 A Unfortunate Dog, or Stony Point, with parts of Cackling Hen
• AFS 5649 B Rye Whiskey
• Goodbye Old Paint

Jesse Elmo Newcomer

• Pipe Creek, Bandera Co., TX
• John A. Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Pipecreek, TX, May 3, 1939
• AFS 2632 A1 Cotton-eyed Joe
• AFS 2632 A2 Mabel
• AFS 2632 B Turkey in the Straw
• AFS 2633 A1 Old Gray Mare
• AFS 2634 A1 Blue-Eyed Susie
• AFS 2634 A2 Unfortunate Puppy
• AFS 2634 B Rye Whiskey

Fiddlin' Jim Pate

• [TX]
• 1929 commercial recording
• Prisoner Boy/Texas Farewell (Vi 40170)

Samuel Morgan Peacock (Apr 12, 1877-July 12, 1932)

• Cleburne, Johnson Co., TX
• 1928-1929 commercial recordings: Smith's Garage Fiddle Band
• Done Gone/Cuban Two-Step Rag (Vo 5287)
• Beaumont Rag/Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (Vo 5268)
• Rag Time Annie/Dill Pickle Rag (Vo 5306)
• Miss Iola/Lime Rock (Vo 5336)
• The Gray Eagle/Tom and Jerry (Vo 5375)

Kenneth Pitts (ca. 1914)

• Ft. Worth, TX
• 1938-1941 commercial recordings
• [Lightcrust Doughboys; Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers]

Lake N. Porter

• Falfurrias, TX
• John A and Ruby T Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Falfurrias, TX, Apr 1939
• AFS 2619 B1 Lady in the Center and Three Hands Round
• AFS 2619 B2 Black Jack Grove
• AFS 2620 A1 Old Cacklin' Hen
• AFS 2620 A2 The Lost Girl
• AFS 2620 B1 Billy in the Low Ground
• AFS 2620 B2 Sally Goodin

Lewis H. Propps

• Pleasanton, TX
• John A Lomax recordings for Archive of Folk Song, Pleasanton, TX, Jan 1936
• AFS 558 A Bucking Mule, Whoa Mule
• AFS 558 B Rye Whiskey
• AFS 570 A1 Old Fashioned Indian War Whoop
• AFS 570 A2 Lost Indian
• AFS 570 A3 Louisiana Nigger
• AFS 570 B3 Gray Eagle
• AFS 620 A Sally Goodin
• AFS 620 B Cacklin' Hen
• AFS 660 A2 Goodbye, Old Paint
• AFS 660 B2 Indian War Whoop

Robert James "Buddy" Ray

• [TX?]
• 1940 commercial recordings [Texas Wanderers; Modern Mountaineers]

Alexander Campbell "Eck" Robertson (Nov 20, 1887-ca 1970s)

• born in Ark moved to TX panhandle in 1890, settled in Amarillo after his marriage
• 1922-1922 commercial recordings
• Arkansas Traveler/Sallie Gooden (with Henry Gilliland, f) (Vi 18956)
• Apple Blossom/Forked Deer (with Henry Gilliland) (Vi unissued)
• Turkey in the Straw (with Henry Gilliland)/Ragtime Annie (Vi 19149)
• Brilliancy & Cheatum/General Logan; Dominion Hornpipe (Vi unissued)
• Sally Johnson; Billy in the Low Ground/Done Gone (Vi 19372)
• Texas Wagoner/Brown Skin Girl Down the Road Somewhere (Vi 40145)
• Amarillo Waltz/Brilliancy Medley [Drunken Billy Goat, Bill Cheatum/Old Billy Wilson] (Vi 40298)
• Brown Kelly Waltz parts 1 & 2 (Vi 40334)
• Great Big 'Taters in Sandy Lan'/Run, Boy, Run (Vi 40205)
• Apple Blossom (Vi unissued)
• The Arkansas Traveler/Sally Goodin (Vi unissued)

Hugh Roden (May 26, 1891-Mar 7, 1966)

• Paris, Lamar Co., TX
• 1929-1930 commercial recordings
• [Hugh Roden & the Texas Nighthawks; Texas Night Hawks; Hugh Roden & Roy Rogers]
• Possum Rag/Crazy Rag (OK 45363)
• Deep Sea Waltz/Sweetheart Waltz (OK 45430)
• Tulsa Waltz/Spanish Waltz (Ok 45465)
• Hogs in the Potato Patch (Ok 45540)
• Dogs in the Barnyard/Brown Kelly Waltz (OK unissued/test)
• Chicken in the Garden/Lost Indian (OK unissued)

Clinton Swathoff (ca. 1909-ca. 1960s)

• Medina Co., TX, raised in Bandera Co.
• John A and Ruby T Lomax recordings for the Archive of Folk Song, Bandera, TX ,May 1939 [with Otis Evans, guitar and Elmo Newcomer, calls]
• AFS 2635 A Fox and Hounds
• AFS 2635 B1 Fox and Hounds
• AFS 2635 B2 Eeph Caught a Rabbit
• AFS 2636 A1 Wagoner
• AFS 2636 A2, B Wagoner
• AFS 2639 A2 The Fox and Hounds (with J.O. Evans, g; Charles Eckhart, horn/vcl)

Leonard Seago

• [TX?]
• 1938 commercial recordings [Tune Wranglers; Ted Daffan & His Texans]
• Robert George "Bob" Skiles (Sept 23, 1888-ca. 1964)
• b. Kansas, moved to San Antonio, TX in 1926
• 1928 commercial recordings [Bob Skiles' Four Old Timers; KTSA radio San Antonio]
• Wagner/Varsovienne (OK 45423)
• Uncle Bob's Favorite/Casey Jones (OK 45225)
• Medley - Schottische/Rye Waltz (Ok 45211)

Ervin Solomon (Jan 2, 1902)

• Johnson Co., TX
• 1929 commercial recording [Solomon & Hughes]
• Ragtime Annie/Sally Johnson (Vi 40244)

Albert L. Steely (ca. Oct 1871)

• Tallalaga Co., TX
• 1928-1930 commercial recordings [Red Headed Fiddlers]
• Never Alone Waltz/Texas Quickstep (Br 285)
• Texas Waltz/Ragtime Annie (Br 388)
• St. Jobe's Waltz/Fatal Wedding (Br 460)
• Cheat 'Em/Far in the Mountain (Br 470)
• Paddy on the Handcar/The Steeley Rag (Br 526)
• Wagoner's Hornpipe/Johnson Grass Rag (Br unissued)

James E. Thomason

• Waco, McLennan Co. TX
• 1936 commercial recordings [Doug Bine & His Dixie Ramblers]
• Ramblers Stomp/Wild (Bb 6705)
• Roseland Waltz (Bb 7039)

Benny Thomasson (Apr 22, 1909)

• Runnels Co., TX
• 1929 commercial recording [Thomasson Brothers]
• Scolding Wife/Star Waltz (OK unissued)

Gernie Bill "Pat" Trotter (Nov 3, 1904)

• Italy, Ellis Co., TX
• 1941 commercial recordings [Sons of the West]
• Sally's Got a Wooden Leg/Panhandle Shuffle (OK 06587)

Daniel Huggins Williams (Sept 13, 1900)

• Lindale, Wood Co. TX
• 1927-1937 commercial recordings [East Texas Serenaders]
• Sweetest Flower Waltz/Combination Waltz (Co 15229)
• Acorn Stomp/Shannon Waltz (Br 282)
• Deacon Jones/Aldeline Waltz (Br 298)
• Dream Shadows/Babe (Br 453)
• Meadow Brook Waltz/Three-in-One Two Step (Br 379)
• McKinney Waltz
• Louisa Waltz/Ozark Rag (Br 538)
• Gulf Breeze Waltz/Mineola Waltz (Br 562)
• Del Rio Waltz/East Texas Drag (De 5347)
• Beaumont Rag/Serenader's Waltz (De 5408)
• Fiddlin' the Fiddle/German Waltz (De 5541)
• Say a Little Prayer For Me/Sweetest Flower Waltz (De 5458)
• Arizona Stomp/Shannon Waltz (De5375)

James Robert "Bob" Wills (Mar 6, 1905-May 13, 1975)

• Kosse, Limestone Co. TX, moved in 1913 to Memphis, Hall Co.
• 1929-1942 commercial recordings [Jim Bob Wills & Herman Arnspiger; Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys]

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