George W. Osborne
Encyclopedia
George W. Osborne was an early band member and opening act for the bluegrass
group the Stanley Brothers.
He never played Bluegrass, and was well-known for his Western
-style music. Fans describe his voice as extremely similar to that of Tex Ritter
, the 1930s and 1940s singing cowboy
. According to a 1990 interview with Osborne, Ritter came to the WCYB
radio station in Bristol, Virginia
, where both the Stanley Brothers and George Osborne played, in the mid-1950s. Ritter was so impressed by George's rendition of his song, "Ballad of the Boll Weevil" that he visited George's house and ate dinner with him and his mother.
With the 1966 death of Carter Stanley
, George broke out on his own, performing locally in the hills of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee
. In 1984, he began playing with his half-brothers, Uncle Charlie Osborne
and Emmett Osborne, continuing to do so on a semi-regular basis until Emmett's 1990 death and Charlie's 1992 death. George mostly retired in 1992 to a quiet life in Bristol with his wife, Eula, although he occasionally gave performances locally and later at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia.
George relished his position as a Dean of the Mountain Music society in the Blue Ridge Mountains
, having mostly changed his style after Tex Ritter's 1974 death.
George owned 40 acres (162,000 m²) of riverfront property in rural Mendota, Virginia
, which is still owned by his wife.
In August 1998, George was to make a phone call to a family member. When he didn't call, family became worried, calling the police to his home. He was found dead of natural causes in his small home in Bristol, Tennessee
.
George W. Osborne was buried in a small cemetery in Washington County, Virginia
. Although he is gone, fans in the Blue Ridge Mountains
still recall his singings of "Rye Whiskey" and others.
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
group the Stanley Brothers.
He never played Bluegrass, and was well-known for his Western
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
-style music. Fans describe his voice as extremely similar to that of Tex Ritter
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
, the 1930s and 1940s singing cowboy
Singing cowboy
A singing cowboy was a subtype of the archetypal cowboy hero of early Western films, popularized by many of the B-movies of the 1930s and 1940s...
. According to a 1990 interview with Osborne, Ritter came to the WCYB
WZAP
WZAP is a Religious and Southern Gospel formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Bristol, Virginia. The station serves the Tennessee Tri-Cities area with an AM signal at 690 kilohertz. WZAP is owned and operated by RAM Communications, Inc.-History:...
radio station in Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
, where both the Stanley Brothers and George Osborne played, in the mid-1950s. Ritter was so impressed by George's rendition of his song, "Ballad of the Boll Weevil" that he visited George's house and ate dinner with him and his mother.
With the 1966 death of Carter Stanley
Carter Stanley
Carter Glen Stanley was a bluegrass music lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitar player. He formed the Stanley Brothers band together with his brother Ralph. The Stanley Brothers are generally acknowledged as the first band after Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys to play in the bluegrass genre...
, George broke out on his own, performing locally in the hills of Southwest Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Northeast Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. In 1984, he began playing with his half-brothers, Uncle Charlie Osborne
Uncle Charlie Osborne
Charles Nelson Osborne, , affectionately known as "Uncle Charlie," was a musician in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia. He was born in what is now known as Cowan Osborne Hollow, named for his father, in Copper Creek, Virginia...
and Emmett Osborne, continuing to do so on a semi-regular basis until Emmett's 1990 death and Charlie's 1992 death. George mostly retired in 1992 to a quiet life in Bristol with his wife, Eula, although he occasionally gave performances locally and later at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia.
George relished his position as a Dean of the Mountain Music society in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
, having mostly changed his style after Tex Ritter's 1974 death.
George owned 40 acres (162,000 m²) of riverfront property in rural Mendota, Virginia
Mendota, Virginia
Mendota is an unincorporated community in Washington County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Virginia. Elevation approx 1800 ft...
, which is still owned by his wife.
In August 1998, George was to make a phone call to a family member. When he didn't call, family became worried, calling the police to his home. He was found dead of natural causes in his small home in Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
.
George W. Osborne was buried in a small cemetery in Washington County, Virginia
Washington County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,103 people, 21,056 households, and 14,949 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 22,985 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
. Although he is gone, fans in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
still recall his singings of "Rye Whiskey" and others.