Alfred Karnes: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American gospel musician (1891–1958)}} |
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Alfred |
'''Alfred Grant Karnes''' (February 2, 1891 – May 18, 1958) was an [[Old time music|old time]] musician and [[Southern Gospel]] singer best known for his recordings at the [[Bristol Sessions]] in 1927. |
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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| ⚫ | Born in [[Bedford County, Virginia]],<ref name="grave">{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74382698 |title=Alfred Grant Karnes |publisher=www.findagrave.com |accessdate=3 November 2016 }} – Gravesite memorial</ref> later residing in [[Corbin, Kentucky]], Karnes was a [[Baptist]] preacher and gospel singer. In 1927, he drove to [[Bristol, Tennessee]] in response to advertisements put out by [[Ralph Peer]] looking for local artists to record on [[Victor Records]]. Karnes recorded six sides at the sessions, all gospel, accompanied by his own [[harp-guitar]] with the best known including "Bound For The Promised Land", "To The Work" and "Where We'll Never Grow Old". Karnes' records sold well enough for him to record seven more sides for Victor. After that Karnes made no further recordings and returned to the pulpit in Corbin for the rest of his life until he died in 1958. He is buried in McHargue Cemetery, Lily, Laurel County, Kentucky.<ref name="grave"/> |
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| ⚫ | Born in [[Corbin, Kentucky]], Karnes was a [[Baptist]] preacher and gospel singer |
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| ⚫ | Alfred Karnes played the [[Harp guitar|harp-guitar]], a seldom recorded instrument from the Edwardian Era. The harp-guitar had a large guitar body with an extra set of strings above the main fretboard which were unfretted. These were struck along with the regular guitar strings to produce the effect of two separate guitarists. Karnes accented this effect by playing the fretted strings with a distinctive slapping effect. As a preacher he sang with a loud, clear, stentorian baritone which complemented his playing. His songs were exclusively gospel and were a mixture of traditional hymns and originals. Karnes' records are unique in being the only known use of the harp-guitar in Old Time Music and which had largely been seen as a novelty instrument of limited appeal being both difficult to play and unwieldy to hold. |
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| ⚫ | When Karnes drove down to Bristol he took with him [[B.F. Shelton]], a friend who sang and played [[banjo]] and would also record at the sessions. Shelton was a barber in Corbin and had previously served time in a jail where Karnes had preached. However while they had occasionally performed together in Corbin they did not record together. Karnes and possibly Shelton are believed to have recorded behind gospel singer [[Ernest Phipps]] on his Bristol session sides. Phipps was also a singing preacher from Corbin, although Phipps was of a different denomination being a [[Pentecostal]] preacher, so Karnes should have been familiar with the same songs. |
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==Notes== |
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| ⚫ | Alfred Karnes played the harp-guitar, a seldom recorded instrument from the Edwardian Era. The harp-guitar had a large guitar body with an extra set of strings above the main fretboard which were unfretted. These were struck along with the regular guitar strings to produce the effect of two separate guitarists. Karnes accented this effect by playing the fretted strings with a distinctive slapping effect. As a preacher he sang with a loud, clear stentorian baritone which |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==References== |
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* Nelson, Donald Lee. "The life of Alfred G. Karnes." In Porterfield, Nolan, ed. ''Exploring Roots Music: Twenty Years of the JEMF.'' Scarecrow Press, 2004, pp. 53–57. – Originally published 1972. [https://books.google.com/books?id=jMeR6O2wN8QC&dq=alfred+karnes+May+18%2C+1958&pg=PA57 Excerpt] on Google Books |
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* Wolfe, Charles K. Liner notes for "The Bristol Sessions." Country Music Foundation CMF-011-L, 1987. |
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| ⚫ | When Karnes drove down to Bristol he took with him [[B.F. Shelton]], a friend who sang and played [[banjo]] and would also record at the sessions. Shelton was a barber in Corbin and had previously served time in a jail where Karnes had preached. However while they had occasionally performed together in Corbin they did not record together. Karnes and possibly Shelton are believed to have recorded behind gospel singer Ernest Phipps on his Bristol session sides. Phipps was also a singing preacher from Corbin, although Phipps was of a different denomination being a [[Pentecostal |
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* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Alfred Karnes}} |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150527072953/http://www.encyclopediaofappalachia.com/entry.php?rec=170 Ernest Phipps and Alfred G. Karnes] Entry at Encyclopedia of Appalachia |
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*[http://www.wirz.de/music/karnefrm.htm Alfred G. Karnes discography] Details both original and reissue recordings |
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{{Authority control}} |
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==General references== |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Karnes, Alfred}} |
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* "The Bristol Sessions", liner notes by Charles Wolfe, Country Music Foundation, 1991 |
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[[Category:1891 births]] |
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[[Category:1958 deaths]] |
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[[Category:American gospel musicians]] |
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[[Category:20th-century American musicians]] |
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[[Category:Folk musicians from Kentucky]] |
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* http://www.encyclopediaofappalachia.com/entry.php?rec=170 |
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[[Category:Singers from Kentucky]] |
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[[Category:Southern gospel performers]] |
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[[Category:20th-century American singers]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:54, 14 March 2023
Alfred Grant Karnes (February 2, 1891 – May 18, 1958) was an old time musician and Southern Gospel singer best known for his recordings at the Bristol Sessions in 1927.
Biography
[edit]Born in Bedford County, Virginia,[1] later residing in Corbin, Kentucky, Karnes was a Baptist preacher and gospel singer. In 1927, he drove to Bristol, Tennessee in response to advertisements put out by Ralph Peer looking for local artists to record on Victor Records. Karnes recorded six sides at the sessions, all gospel, accompanied by his own harp-guitar with the best known including "Bound For The Promised Land", "To The Work" and "Where We'll Never Grow Old". Karnes' records sold well enough for him to record seven more sides for Victor. After that Karnes made no further recordings and returned to the pulpit in Corbin for the rest of his life until he died in 1958. He is buried in McHargue Cemetery, Lily, Laurel County, Kentucky.[1]
Musical style
[edit]Alfred Karnes played the harp-guitar, a seldom recorded instrument from the Edwardian Era. The harp-guitar had a large guitar body with an extra set of strings above the main fretboard which were unfretted. These were struck along with the regular guitar strings to produce the effect of two separate guitarists. Karnes accented this effect by playing the fretted strings with a distinctive slapping effect. As a preacher he sang with a loud, clear, stentorian baritone which complemented his playing. His songs were exclusively gospel and were a mixture of traditional hymns and originals. Karnes' records are unique in being the only known use of the harp-guitar in Old Time Music and which had largely been seen as a novelty instrument of limited appeal being both difficult to play and unwieldy to hold.
Recording with other artists
[edit]When Karnes drove down to Bristol he took with him B.F. Shelton, a friend who sang and played banjo and would also record at the sessions. Shelton was a barber in Corbin and had previously served time in a jail where Karnes had preached. However while they had occasionally performed together in Corbin they did not record together. Karnes and possibly Shelton are believed to have recorded behind gospel singer Ernest Phipps on his Bristol session sides. Phipps was also a singing preacher from Corbin, although Phipps was of a different denomination being a Pentecostal preacher, so Karnes should have been familiar with the same songs.
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b "Alfred Grant Karnes". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 3 November 2016. – Gravesite memorial
References
[edit]- Nelson, Donald Lee. "The life of Alfred G. Karnes." In Porterfield, Nolan, ed. Exploring Roots Music: Twenty Years of the JEMF. Scarecrow Press, 2004, pp. 53–57. – Originally published 1972. Excerpt on Google Books
- Wolfe, Charles K. Liner notes for "The Bristol Sessions." Country Music Foundation CMF-011-L, 1987.
- Wolff, Kurt. The Rough Guide to Country Music. Penguin, 2000.
External links
[edit]- Works by or about Alfred Karnes at the Internet Archive
- Ernest Phipps and Alfred G. Karnes Entry at Encyclopedia of Appalachia
- Alfred G. Karnes (vocalist) Discography: 1927-8 recordings
- Alfred G. Karnes – Called To The Foreign Field Lyrics
- Alfred G. Karnes discography Details both original and reissue recordings
