Buell Kazee
Encyclopedia
Buell Kazee was an American country
and folk
singer. He is considered one of the most successful folk musicians of the 1920s and experienced a career comeback during the American folk music revival
of the 1960s due in part to his inclusion on the Anthology of American Folk Music
.
, a mountain in Magoffin County
. By the age of five, Kazee found publicity playing banjo at church. After he graduated high school, he studied English, Greek and Latin at Georgetown College.
, asking if he would consider recording in their studio in New York City
. Kazee traveled to New York, and eventually signed with the label. His first record was "Roll On John" backed with "John Hardy". Over the next two years, backed by an assortment of New York musicians, he recorded 51 songs, including such hits as "Gray Lady," "The Sporting Bachelors," and "The Little Orphan Child." His greatest success was On Top Of Old Smoky
, which has been covered over 15,000 times.
Kazee's lyrics were often dominated by religious
subjects, but also treated everyday problems of the working man. After his marriage in the early 1930s, he moved to the Vocalion label, but as the Depression worsened, Kazee recorded less and less, and eventually left the music business and worked for the next 22 years as a pastor in Morehead, Kentucky
.
and Clarence Ashley
and Doc Watson
at the Newport Folk Festival
. He also wrote and published three books.
Buell Kazee died on 31 August 1976 at age 76.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer. He is considered one of the most successful folk musicians of the 1920s and experienced a career comeback during the American folk music revival
American folk music revival
The American folk music revival was a phenomenon in the United States that began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Richard Dyer-Bennett, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, John Jacob...
of the 1960s due in part to his inclusion on the Anthology of American Folk Music
Anthology of American Folk Music
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records , comprising eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued from 1927 to 1932.Experimental filmmaker and notable eccentric Harry Smith compiled the music...
.
Early life
Buell Kazee was born at the foot of Burton Fork, KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, a mountain in Magoffin County
Magoffin County, Kentucky
Magoffin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky which was formed from parts of Floyd, Johnson, and Morgan Counties and officially created on 22 February 1860. As of 2000, the population was 13,332. Its county seat is Salyersville...
. By the age of five, Kazee found publicity playing banjo at church. After he graduated high school, he studied English, Greek and Latin at Georgetown College.
Career
In 1927, Kazee he received an inquiry from Brunswick RecordsBrunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
, asking if he would consider recording in their studio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Kazee traveled to New York, and eventually signed with the label. His first record was "Roll On John" backed with "John Hardy". Over the next two years, backed by an assortment of New York musicians, he recorded 51 songs, including such hits as "Gray Lady," "The Sporting Bachelors," and "The Little Orphan Child." His greatest success was On Top Of Old Smoky
On Top of Old Smoky
"On Top of Old Smoky" is a traditional folk song and a well-known ballad of the United States which, as recorded by The Weavers, reached the pop music charts in 1951....
, which has been covered over 15,000 times.
Kazee's lyrics were often dominated by religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
subjects, but also treated everyday problems of the working man. After his marriage in the early 1930s, he moved to the Vocalion label, but as the Depression worsened, Kazee recorded less and less, and eventually left the music business and worked for the next 22 years as a pastor in Morehead, Kentucky
Morehead, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,845 people, households, and families residing in the city. The population density was 726.2 people per square mile. There were 2,356 housing units at an average density of 253.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.2% African...
.
Withdrawal and revival
After the Depression, Kazee performed only rarely and devoted himself entirely to the ministry, the profession that he had actually wanted to pursue since his teens. During the 1960s folk music boom, Kazee began a comeback and started to perform again. He made joint appearances with other former folk stars like Dock BoggsDock Boggs
Moran Lee "Dock" Boggs was an influential old-time singer, songwriter and banjo player. His style of banjo playing, as well as his singing, is considered a unique combination of Appalachian folk music and African-American blues...
and Clarence Ashley
Clarence Ashley
"Tom" Clarence Ashley was an American clawhammer banjo player, guitarist and singer. He began performing at medicine shows in the Southern Appalachian region as early as 1911, and gained initial fame during the late 1920s as both a solo recording artist and as a member of various string bands...
and Doc Watson
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
at the Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the previously established Newport Jazz Festival...
. He also wrote and published three books.
Buell Kazee died on 31 August 1976 at age 76.
Singles
| Song titles | Catalog number | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | |||
| Roll On John / John Hardy | 144 | ||
| Rock Island / Old Whisker Bill | 145 | ||
| Darling Cora / East Virginia | 154 | ||
| The Ship That's Sailing High on the Water / If You Love Your Mother | 155 | ||
| The Roving Cowboy / The Little Mohee | 156 | ||
| The Old Maid / The Sporting Bachelors | 157 | ||
| Faded Coat of Blue / Don't Forget Me, Little Darlin | 206 | Pseudonym of Ray Lyncy | |
| Snow Deer / Red Wing | 210 | with Sookie Hobbs; Red Wing originally by Riley Puckett Riley Puckett George Riley Puckett was an American country music pioneer mostly known for being a member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers.-Biography:... |
|
| The Orphan Girl / Poor Little Orphan Boy | 211 | ||
| The Cowboy's Farewell / Lady Gray | 212 | ||
| The Wagoner's Lad / The Butcher's Boy (The Railroad Boy) | 213 | ||
| The Dying Soldier / Short Life of Trouble | 214 | ||
| Little Bessie / My Mother | 215 | Little Bessie later covered by the Alabama Barnstomers Riley Puckett George Riley Puckett was an American country music pioneer mostly known for being a member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers.-Biography:... |
|
| In The Shadow of the Pines / You Taught Me How to Love | 216 | ||
| Poor Boy Long Way from Home / You Are False but I'll Forgive You | 217 | ||
| Married Girl's Troubles / Gamblin' Blues | 218 | ||
| Steel-A-Goin' Down / The Hobo's Last Ride | 330 | ||
| A Mountain Boy Makes His First Record / A Mountain Boy Makes His First Record, Pt. 2 | 338 | ||
| Toll the Bells / The Blind Man | 351 | ||
| Roving Cowboy / Little Mohee | 436 | ||
| The Wagoner's Lad / The Butcher's Boy (The Railroad Boy) | 437 | ||
| Cowboy Trail / I'm Rolling Along | 481 | ||
| Vocalion | |||
| In The Shadow of the Pines / You Taught Me How to Love Now You Teach Me to Forget | 5221 | ||
| My Mother / Little Bessie | 5231 | Brunswick 215 | |
Albums
| Year | Album Title | Label | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Buell Kazee Sings and Plays | |||
| 1978 | Buell Kazee | June Appal Recordings June Appal Recordings June Appal Recordings was established by Appalshop to record and distribute music of and from Central Appalachia. Artists with June Appal releases include Buell Kazee, Morgan Sexton, Lee Sexton, Carla Gover, Nimrod Workman and others. Over the last thirty years, June Appal has released more than... |
JA0009 | Reissued in 2007 |
| 2005 | Legendary Kentucky |