Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell)

The Tennessee Ramblers were an American Country and Western swing band that originally consisted of Dick Hartman (1898–1962) on mandolin and vocals, Harry Blair on guitar and vocals, Kenneth Wolfe on fiddle, and Cecil Campbell on banjo and steel guitar. Hartman formed the band in 1928 to perform on Pittsburgh radio station KDKA. In 1934, the band moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, which remained their base for most of the band's lifespan. While in Charlotte, the group played on WBT.

By the time the Tennessee Ramblers made their first recording for Bluebird Records in 1935, they had added bassist Fred Morris, fiddler Elmer Warren, and a novelty musician named Jack Gillette. The band performed in the 1936 motion picture Ride Ranger Ride and the 1937 film The Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge, both starring Gene Autry. Although Hartman left the group in 1938, the band continued performing under the leadership of Gillette. They appeared in several films in the early 1940s, including Tex Ritter's The Pioneers in 1941.

In 1949, Harry Blair retired, leaving Campbell as the last remaining original member. Campbell continued using the band's name, however, until the 1980s.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1928

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-133 of 133 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D9VB-2599 10-in. 11/29/1949 Proud papa polka Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) Male vocal solo, with string band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-2701 10-in. 11/29/1949 One little flower Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) Male vocal solo, with string band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-2702 10-in. 11/29/1949 Paper roses Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) Male vocal solo, with string band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-2703 10-in. 11/30/1949 No blues, no blues for me Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) Male vocal trio, with string band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-2704 10-in. 11/30/1949 Catawba River blues Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) Male vocal solo, with string band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-2705 10-in. 11/30/1949 Serenade of the winds Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) Vocal ensemble, with string band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-2706 10-in. 11/30/1949 Steel guitar swing Cecil Campbell ; Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell) String band Musical group  
Brunswick AL307-AL308 10-in. 2/17/1928 A fiddler’s contest Tennessee Ramblers Fiddle (violin), guitar, and banjo Musical group  
(Results 126-133 of 133 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell)," accessed April 27, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110935.

Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell). (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110935.

"Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell)." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 27 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110935

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