Hoss Hair Pullers and Hill-Billy Quartet

Location: Izard, Arkansas, United States
Surnames/tags: Arkansas United_States M

Contents 1 Hoss Hair Pullers and Hill-Billy Quartet 2 Band Members 3 Recorded Songs 4 Sources

Hoss Hair Pullers and Hill-Billy Quartet

Long before the emergence of a thriving country music industry, Appalachian communities saw gatherings of semi-skilled individuals, kinfolk, neighbors, and acquaintances coming together to fill the mountain air with the timeless melodies of their forebears. It wasn't until the 1920s that record companies recognized the burgeoning demand for the music of these mountain folk. In response, numerous musical groups sprang up seemingly overnight to seize this newfound opportunity. Additionally, many long-established bands that had been playing for years made the leap into professionalism to ensure their music could be immortalized on recordings.

In some ways, today's groups have very little in common with old-timey bands. The mountain music bands of the 1920s embodied the rustic and down-to-earth essence of their Appalachian heritage through their uniquely charming names. These bands' monikers reflected the simple way of life in the hills, resonating with a sense of humor and authenticity. With names like Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, The Dixie Clod Hoppers, Bird's Kentucky Corn Crackers, Dr. Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers, the West Virginia Snake Hunters, Hendley and His Aristocratic Pigs, Bumboat Billy and the Sparrows, Seven Foot Dilly and His Dill Pickles, Mumford Bean and His Itawambians, and the Henpecked Husbands, these ensembles celebrated the cultural richness of Appalachia while inviting listeners to embrace the joy, struggles, and camaraderie of the mountain folk. Their music was a testament to the enduring spirit of the people of the hills, captured in every fiddle tune and banjo pluck.

Arkansas, too, boasts a storied history in the annals of old-time music. In step with the enthusiasm of the era, one of these musical ensembles gained public recognition thanks to the spirit of promotion embodied by Dr. Henry Harlin Smith, an indefatigable presence in Calico Rock, Arkansas. In 1926, he initiated a fiddlers' contest that served as the genesis for two musical groups: Dr. Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers, led by Bryan Lackey, and a vocal ensemble known as the Hill-Billy Quartets. Dr. Smith's innovative program allowed ordinary working folks to journey back to simpler times when all was harmonious. It beckoned them to the heart of the Arkansas Ozarks, where the finest fruits grew. Home-cured meats resided in smokehouses. Corn and hay filled the barns, and one could milk their own cow, tend to their own chickens, and fish in the pristine lakes, embracing the essence of rural life.

Dr. Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers are a testament to the limits of the predominantly rural mountain cultural perspective. Throughout history, many have unfairly underestimated rural music, dismissing the authentic, twangy expressions of country folk as mere kitchen-sink simplicity. But if one assumes this recording lacks musical complexity and potency, they look to Gene Quill, who attempts to recreate even a fraction of the natural beauty found in the ensemble's mandolin, guitar, fiddle, and untrained vocal harmonies.

Try, if you will, to replicate the mournful serenade emanating from their voices or grasp the blend of restrained yet spiritually charged vernacular elements that define the Hoss Hair Pullers' sound. This music embodies a sense of country-congregational dignity, reminding us that even the most modest individuals have a place in the grandeur of heaven's tapestry.

The band's journey began with performances at local events and occasional trips to Hot Springs, Arkansas. However, by the summer of 1928, they had earned enough recognition to attract the attention of talent scouts. New Victor Records, having experienced some success earlier that year with recordings by Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers, saw in the Hoss Hair Pullers a similar Ozark counterpart to a group they had been recording for over a year, the Georgia Yellow Hammers.

The Hoss Hair Pullers commenced their recording session with Victor Records with a heartfelt piece titled "Save My Mother's Picture from the Sale." This song was a contribution to the band's repertoire by their guitarist, occasional singer, and singing school teacher, Leeman Bone, who also worked as a piano tuner. Another gem he brought was a rustic love ballad, "In the Garden Where the Irish Potatoes Grow." Perhaps the most recognized of the band's recordings today is "Going Down the River," a lively tune that shares its roots with "Davy" by the Weems String Band from West Tennessee and "Boatin' Up Sandy" by Al Hopkins & His Buckle Busters. On the less well-known side, there were the "coon songs," such as "Just Give Me the Leavings," which, paired on one disc, provided purchasers with a choice of stereotypes for seventy-five cents: "Leavings" featuring a philosopher with a watermelon, and "Baby" portraying a character with a razor, adding depth to the band's repertoire.

The existence of the Hoss Hair Pullers extended no further than a mere couple of years following their recording session. Paradoxically, their rapid rise in popularity led to their downfall, as they found themselves inundated with more bookings than they could feasibly honor. Furthermore, certain members harbored an aversion to constant travel, and even Dr. Smith, who was no longer averse to labor, struggled to balance his responsibilities as a country doctor and his role as a string band MC. As a result, the group disbanded by the 1930s.

Band Members

• Bryan Lackey: A fiddler from Calico Rock, Arkansas, who won the first fiddle contest organized by Dr. Smith in 1926. He was one of the original members of the Hoss Hair Pullers and recorded six sides with them for Victor Records.
• James Duncan: A fiddler from Spring Creek, Arkansas, who was also a winner of Dr. Smith's fiddle contest. He joined the Hoss Hair Pullers in 1926 and played with them on radio and local events.
• Owen Hunt: A fiddler from Izard County, Arkansas, who was another winner of Dr. Smith's fiddle contest. He was part of the Hoss Hair Pullers from 1926 to 1930, and performed with them on radio and live shows.
• W. McLeary: A fiddler and guitarist from Calico Rock, Arkansas, who was a friend of Bryan Lackey. He played both instruments with the Hoss Hair Pullers and recorded with them for Victor Records.
• Luther Walker: A fiddler from Spring Creek, Arkansas, who was a neighbor of Dr. Smith. He was a regular member of the Hoss Hair Pullers and played with them on radio and local events.
• George Dillard: A fiddler from Izard County, Arkansas, who was also a neighbor of Dr. Smith. He joined the Hoss Hair Pullers in 1927 and played with them until 1930.
• Leeman Bone: A guitarist and vocalist from Calico Rock, Arkansas, who was a cousin of Bryan Lackey. He sang and played guitar with the Hoss Hair Pullers, and recorded with them for Victor Records.
• Ray Marshall: A mandolin player from Spring Creek, Arkansas, who was a friend of Dr. Smith. He played mandolin with the Hoss Hair Pullers and recorded with them for Victor Records.
• Grayton Bone: A vocalist from Calico Rock, Arkansas, who was a brother of Leeman Bone. He sang with the Hill-Billy Quartet, a vocal group that supported the Hoss Hair Pullers.
• Roosevelt Garner: A vocalist from Spring Creek, Arkansas, who was a friend of Dr. Smith. He sang with the Hill-Billy Quartet and performed with the Hoss Hair Pullers on radio and live shows.
• Hubert Simmons: A vocalist from Izard County, Arkansas, who was a friend of Owen Hunt. He sang with the Hill-Billy Quartet and performed with the Hoss Hair Pullers on radio and live shows.
• Homer Goatcher: A vocalist from Spring Creek, Arkansas, who was a friend of Dr. Smith. He sang with the Hill-Billy Quartet and performed with the Hoss Hair Pullers on radio and live shows.
• Odie Goatcher: A vocalist from Spring Creek, Arkansas, who was a brother of Homer Goatcher. He sang with the Hill-Billy Quartet and performed with the Hoss Hair Pullers on radio and live shows.

Recorded Songs

Dr. Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers recorded six songs during a session in Memphis, Tennessee, for Victor Records in September 1928. The songs are:

1. "In the Garden Where the Irish Potatoes Grow"
2. "Going Down the River"
3. "Just Give Me the Leavings"
4. "Up in Glory"
5. "Save My Mother's Picture from the Sale"
6. "N***** baby"

Sources

• Dicaire, David. The New Generation of Country Music Stars: Biographies of 50 Artists Born After 1940. United States: McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2014. "The News Generation of Country Music Stars." Accessed 30 Sep 2023.
• Russell, Tony. Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost. United States: Oxford University Press, USA, 2010. "]https://www.google.com/books/edition/Country_Music_Originals/V4feoyZC86kC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Dr.+Smith%27s+Champion+Hoss+Hair+Pullers%22&pg=PT245&printsec=frontcover Country Music Originals, The Legends and the Lost]." Accessed 30 Sep 2023.
• Lowe, Allen. Turn Me Loose White Man. United States: Constant Sorrow Press, 2020. "Turn Me Loose White Man." Accessed 30 Sep 2023.
• Beisswenger, Drew., McCann, Gordon. Ozarks Fiddle Music. United Kingdom: Mel Bay Publications, Incorporated, 2016. "Ozarks Fiddle Music." Accessed 30 Sep 2023.
• Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dr. Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers," accessed September 30, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/312842.
• Encyclopedia of Arkansas Music. United States: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, 2013. "Encylopedia of Arkansas Music." Accessed 29 Sep 2023.
• Cochran, Robert. Our Own Sweet Sounds: A Celebration of Popular Music in Arkansas. United States: University of Arkansas Press, 2005. "Our Own Sweet Sounds - A Celebration of Popular Music in Arkansas." Accessed 29 Sep 2023.
• Newspaper Clipping, Baxter Bulletin, Mountain Home, Arkansas, 25 Aug 2016, Thu. - Page A5. "Museum honors Hoss-Hair Pullers." Accessed 29 Sep 2023.
• Newspaper Clipping, Baxter Bulletin, Mountain Home, Arkansas, 7 Sep 1928, Fri. - Page 1. "Will Make Records." Accessed 30 Sep 2023.
• Newspaper Clipping, The Decatur Daily, Decatur, Alabama, 10 May 1929, Fri. - Page 10. "New Victor Records - Out today, and head liners - all? Come in and Hear them." Accessed 30 Sep 2023.