The Bailey Brothers
The Bailey Brothers
The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys are an American bluegrass act widely considered to be among the first to cultivate the duo harmony vocal technique prevelant in modern bluegrass music today [1]. Charlie Bailey (b. February 9, 1916 in Klondyke, Happy Valley, Tennessee, d. March 12, 2004 in Bear, Delaware) began his musical career in 1936. His brother, Danny Bailey (b. 1 December 1919, Klondyke, Happy Valley, Tennessee, d. 22 March 2004, Knoxville, Tennessee) joined him to form the Bailey Brothers duo in 1940.
The Bailey brothers came from a very musical family and began playing music early in their lives. Charlie displayed a desire to pursue music very early in his life buying his first guitar for $1.75. Their parents had hoped that Danny would become a doctor but sensing that the pull toward music was stronger, they encouraged Danny to join his brother who had already begun making a name for himself musically. The brothers began making frequent appearances on Tennessee radio stations in Knoxville. Danny formed the Happy Valley Boys after Charlie joined the military in 1941 and in 1944 the Happy Valley Boys relocated to Nashville where they regularly appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and also made regular appearances on WSM radio in Nashville. At that time, Danny was the youngest person to ever perform on the Grand Ole Opry [2]. When Charlie returned from his military service in 1946 the brothers were reunited as a duo but only stayed in Nashville briefly before returning to radio work in Knoxville where they started. [3].
The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys members included from 1949:
Charles L. Bailey, mandolin, guitar, vocals
Danny Bailey, guitar, vocals
Carl Bailey, guitar
Junior Tullock, bass
Other members included from 1946:
Ray Brewster, guitar and mandolin
Willie G. Brewster, vocals, guitar, mandolin
"Cotton" Gaylon, Hawaiian guitar
"Slap Happy Jake" - comedian
- ^ http://www.rounder.com/index.php?id=album.php&musicalGroupId=5511&catalog_id=6321, Rounder Records
- ^ http://www.hillbilly-music.com/groups/story/index.php?groupid=12020, Hillbilly-Music dawt com
- ^ http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/The-Bailey-Brothers-Happy-Valley-Boys.html, Oldies.com