Henry Whitter
Encyclopedia
Henry Whitter was an early country music
ian.
. He found work in a cotton mill called "Fries Washington Mill", but in March 1923, he decided to quit his job in order to pursue a musical career. He went to New York City
where he arranged with the "General Phonograph Corporation (Okeh)
" to make a test recording. The A&R man of the phonograph company wasn't impressed by the two songs Whitter had recorded that day and his test recording was shelved. When Fiddlin' John Carson
's successful recording "The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow" was released in July 1923, Whitter's test recording became interesting and was sent to Polk C. Brockman of Okeh Records
for evaluation. Whitter received a recording contract on Okeh Records and travelled once more to New York City
. In December 1923, Whitter recorded nine songs. Among them was the "Wreck On the Southern Old 97" coupled with "Lonesome Road Blues". The recording was released in January 1924 and was quite successful. The light opera singer and country music
ian Vernon Dalhart
heard "Wreck On the Southern Old 97" and decided to record it. That particular recording coupled with "The Prisoner's Song
", went on to become the first million-selling record in country music
in 1924. In 1927, at a fiddlers' convention in Mountain City, Tennessee
, Whitter met the blind fiddler G. B. Grayson
(1887-1930) and together they formed the successful duo Grayson & Whitter, recording many songs that later on became bluegrass
standards such as Banks of the Ohio, Nine Pound Hammer, and Little Maggie. Grayson died in an automobile accident outside Damascus, Virginia in 1930.
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...
ian.
Biography
Whitter learned to play the guitar from an early age, and later on, the fiddle, banjo, harmonica and piano. His love of music made him dream of a career as an artist and he spent much time listening to cylinder recordings of Uncle JoshCal Stewart
Cal Stewart was a pioneer in vaudeville and early sound recordings. He is best remembered for his comic monologues in which he played "Uncle Josh" Weathersby, a resident of a mythical New England farming town called "Punkin Center."Born in Charlotte County, Virginia in 1856, Stewart spent his...
. He found work in a cotton mill called "Fries Washington Mill", but in March 1923, he decided to quit his job in order to pursue a musical career. He went to 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...
where he arranged with the "General Phonograph Corporation (Okeh)
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
" to make a test recording. The A&R man of the phonograph company wasn't impressed by the two songs Whitter had recorded that day and his test recording was shelved. When Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson was an American old time fiddler and an early-recorded country musician.-Early life:...
's successful recording "The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow" was released in July 1923, Whitter's test recording became interesting and was sent to Polk C. Brockman of Okeh Records
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
for evaluation. Whitter received a recording contract on Okeh Records and travelled once more to 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...
. In December 1923, Whitter recorded nine songs. Among them was the "Wreck On the Southern Old 97" coupled with "Lonesome Road Blues". The recording was released in January 1924 and was quite successful. The light opera singer and country music
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...
ian Vernon Dalhart
Vernon Dalhart
Vernon Dalhart , born Marion Try Slaughter, was a popular American singer and songwriter of the early decades of the 20th century. He is a major influence in the field of country music.-Early life:...
heard "Wreck On the Southern Old 97" and decided to record it. That particular recording coupled with "The Prisoner's Song
The Prisoner's Song
"The Prisoner's Song", is a song copyrighted by Vernon Dalhart in 1924 in the name of Dalhart’s cousin Guy Massey, who had sung it while staying at Dalhart’s home and had in turn heard it from his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard it while serving time in prison.The Prisoner’s Song rates...
", went on to become the first million-selling record in country music
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...
in 1924. In 1927, at a fiddlers' convention in Mountain City, Tennessee
Mountain City, Tennessee
Mountain City is a town in Johnson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2000 census. It is the northeasternmost county seat in Tennessee; Mountain City is the county seat of Johnson County.-History:...
, Whitter met the blind fiddler G. B. Grayson
G. B. Grayson
Gilliam Banmon Grayson was an American Old-time fiddle player and singer. Mostly blind from infancy, Grayson is chiefly remembered for a series of sides recorded with guitarist Henry Whitter between 1927 and 1930 that would later influence numerous country, bluegrass, and rock musicians...
(1887-1930) and together they formed the successful duo Grayson & Whitter, recording many songs that later on became bluegrass
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...
standards such as Banks of the Ohio, Nine Pound Hammer, and Little Maggie. Grayson died in an automobile accident outside Damascus, Virginia in 1930.