The Carter Family stands as foundational figures in the history of country music. Originating from the hills of Virginia, the trio, composed of A.P. Carter, his wife Sara Dougherty Carter, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter, captured the heart of a nation with their unique sound and heartfelt songs. Their journey from local performers to national radio stars and recording artists is a testament to their talent and the enduring appeal of their music. This article delves into the early years of the Carter Family, tracing their formation and rise to prominence in the burgeoning country music scene.
The Genesis of a Musical Legacy
Alvin Pleasant Delaney “A. P.” Carter’s roots were deeply embedded in the musical soil of Scott County, Virginia, near the Tennessee border. Growing up in a farming family, A.P. was surrounded by music. His father’s banjo playing and mother’s folk ballads laid an early foundation, while his uncle, Flanders Bays, instilled in him the ability to read shape note songbooks, a skill that would prove invaluable for the Carter Family’s gospel repertoire. After venturing across the country, A.P. returned to his home region around 1915 and started selling fruit trees. It was during this time he met Sara Dougherty. Legend has it that their meeting was serendipitous, with Sara enchanting A.P. as she sat under a tree, playing her autoharp and singing “Engine 143.” Their shared love for music blossomed into romance, and they married on June 18, 1915.
In the years that followed, A.P. and Sara became known for their informal performances in their community, often singing at local churches. Unlike many traditional mountain singers who preferred unaccompanied vocals, the Carters distinguished themselves by incorporating guitar and autoharp into their performances, with A.P. occasionally adding fiddle to the mix. Their ambition led them to audition for the Brunswick Record Company in Norton, Virginia, in early 1927. While Brunswick was interested in A.P.’s fiddling, he recognized his vocal talent as his primary strength and decided to decline the offer, holding out for an opportunity that better suited the Carter Family’s vocal harmonies.
The pivotal moment in the Carter Family’s formation came in 1927 with the addition of Maybelle Addington, Sara’s younger cousin. Maybelle, who married A.P.’s brother Ezra, had begun playing guitar at the young age of twelve, embracing an instrument still relatively new to the mountain music scene. She pioneered a distinctive guitar style, known as the “thumb-brush” technique, where she picked melodies on the bass strings while maintaining rhythm with downstrokes on the higher strings. Her style further evolved through the influence of Lesley Riddle, a local African American musician who not only shared his guitar expertise but also assisted A.P. in expanding the Carter Family’s songbook. Maybelle’s dedication to learning and incorporating new techniques solidified her unique and influential guitar playing. Following her marriage in March 1926, Maybelle officially joined A.P. and Sara, adding her guitar and vocal harmonies to complete the trio. In late July 1927, the Carter Family embarked on a journey to Bristol, Tennessee, a trip that would change their lives forever as they recorded their first songs under the guidance of Victor producer Ralph Peer.
From Bristol to Border Radio: Achieving Commercial Success
August 1st and 2nd, 1927, marked the historic Bristol Sessions, where the Carter Family laid down six tracks, including early classics like “Single Girl, Married Girl,” “The Wandering Boy,” and “Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow.” Over the next eight years, their prolific output saw them record over three hundred songs for RCA Victor and associated labels like the American Record Corporation and Decca. This period spawned some of their most enduring hits, such as “Keep on the Sunny Side” (1928), which became their signature theme song, “Wildwood Flower” (1928), “John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man” (1928), “I’m Thinking To-Night of My Blue Eyes” (1929), “Wabash Cannonball” (1929), “Anchored in Love” (1928), and “Worried Man Blues” (1930). Recordings from the Carter Family often highlighted Sara and Maybelle’s vocal and instrumental talents, with A.P. contributing harmonies and focusing on song arrangement, discovery, and managing performance bookings.
Despite their growing fame, the Carter Family members faced personal separations during their peak popularity. In 1931, Maybelle relocated to Washington, D.C., due to her husband Ezra’s job, and A.P. spent time in Detroit working in auto factories. In early 1932, Sara and A.P. separated, with Sara only rejoining for significant performances and recording sessions. She later remarried in 1939 to one of A.P.’s cousins.
By the mid-1930s, the Carter Family expanded their reach through radio, securing contracts that further amplified their sound. The latter part of the decade saw them land a highly impactful position at XERA, a border radio station in Del Rio, Texas. Broadcasting from Mexico, XERA operated with a signal ten times stronger than allowed in the U.S., effectively covering a vast expanse of the United States with its programming. XERA played a crucial role in disseminating the Carter Family’s music to a wider audience than ever before. As their family grew, so did their act, with Sara’s daughter Jeanette and Maybelle’s daughters Helen, June, and Anita joining the performances. When World War II began, the Carter Family was broadcasting from radio station WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina, continuing their musical journey through a changing world.
In conclusion, the Carter Family’s early years were marked by a blend of musical heritage, serendipitous encounters, and relentless dedication. From their humble beginnings in the Virginian mountains to their widespread acclaim through recordings and radio broadcasts, they cemented their status as pioneers of country music, leaving an indelible mark on the genre and inspiring generations of musicians to come.
