Dixie Dewdrop
Cloth: 09/03/2018
About the Book
One of the earliest performers on WSM in Nashville, Uncle Dave Macon became the Grand Ole Opry's first superstar. His old-time music and energetic stage shows made him a national sensation and fueled a thirty-year run as one of America's most beloved entertainers.Michael D. Doubler tells the amazing story of the Dixie Dewdrop, a country music icon. Born in 1870, David Harrison Macon learned the banjo from musicians passing through his parents' Nashville hotel. After playing local shows in Middle Tennessee for decades, a big break led Macon to vaudeville, the earliest of his two hundred-plus recordings and eventually to national stardom. Uncle Dave--clad in his trademark plug hat and gates-ajar collar--soon became the face of the Opry itself with his spirited singing, humor, and array of banjo picking styles. For the rest of his life, he defied age to tour and record prolifically, manage his business affairs, mentor up-and-comers like David "Stringbean" Akeman, and play with the Delmore Brothers, Roy Acuff, and Bill Monroe.
* Publication of this book is supported by the Dragan Plamenac Endowment of the American Musicological Society, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; and by the Judith McCulloh Endowment for American Music.
About the Author
Michael D. Doubler is the great-grandson of Uncle Dave Macon. His books include Closing with the Enemy: How GIs Fought the War in Europe, 1944–1945 and Civilian in Peace, Soldier in War: The Army National Guard, 1636–2000.Reviews
"An eminently readable chronicle." --Rambles.Net"Michael D. Doubler has given us a rich and highly nuanced portrait of the complex, highly gifted man who helped put country music on the map. As Macon's great-grandson, Doubler was able to draw on family archives and reminiscences that might otherwise be unavailable, and his excellent writing skills have allowed him to weave this material together into a compelling and entertaining narrative. " --Journal of Folklore Research
"Dixie Dewdrop is a valuable book, one that country music historians and Uncle Dave's many fans will welcome." --ARSC Journal
"Doubler does a wonderful job of telling Uncle Dave Macon’s story in a way that is interesting, entertaining, informative, and enjoyable." --Bluegrass Unlimited
Blurbs
"Providing deep insights into Uncle Dave Macon, his family, and his music, this important biography traces the life of a pioneering American musician whose career spanned vaudeville, radio, recording, and film. Essential reading for anyone interested in American entertainment."--John W. Rumble, Senior Historian, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
“Drawing skillfully on historical research and family lore, Doubler reveals the many sides of Uncle Dave Macon—performer, recording artist, star of the Grand Ole Opry, mentor, husband, and father. This is an affectionate and absorbing account of a profoundly important early country musician.”--Tony Russell, author of Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost
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