''Deford Bailey is one of the great unsung heroes of American music.'

[randysinger <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is an article about Deford Bailey.

I take much interest in this. Perhaps you will too.

peace and harps,

randy singer
- ------------

Dwight Lewis is a columnist, regional editor and member of the 
editorial board for The Tennessean


The caller on the other end of the telephone reminded me that Jackie 
Robinson had no trouble being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

So why hasn't the late Deford Bailey been elected to the prestigious 
Country Music Hall of Fame? After all, the caller said, Bailey was the 
Jackie Robinson of country music, breaking the color barrier years 
before such greats as Charley Pride and O.B. McClinton and becoming the 
first black star on the Grand Ole Opry.

''It's an injustice,'' said Charles Wolfe, a professor of English at 
Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. ''Deford Bailey was 
a very important figure who is somewhat in danger of being overlooked 
and forgotten.

''He has a number of claims, not only to be an important Nashville 
musician but also an important American musician. His influence in 
music also extended far beyond Nashville and country.

''And, he was not just a musician who played the harmonica, but he was 
an absolute virtuoso on the harmonica. Some people think the harmonica 
is a novelty instrument, but it is a very complicated instrument to 
play.

''With the harmonica, he not only blended notes and made the blues, but 
he did stranger things. He got a great deal out of that cheap 
instrument. He may have been America's greatest harmonica virtuoso.''

Bailey, who was one of the Opry's key figures in the 1920s and 1930s, 
also knew how to play the banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin.

At 2:30 p.m. this Sunday, Deford Bailey is the subject of the second 
program in the Nashville Public Library series ''Origins: The Evolution 
of the Nashville Sound.''

The program, titled ''The Harmonica Wizardry of Deford Bailey,'' will 
feature a panel discussion by Wolfe and David Morton of Reno, Nev. The 
two have co-authored a book titled Deford Bailey: A Black Star in Early 
Country Music.

Also serving as panelists will be Bailey's close friends, Archie Allen, 
a civil rights movement historian who now lives in Ojai, Calif., and 
Nashville resident James Talley, an internationally known singer and 
composer of folk-style country music.

Music will be provided by members of the Bailey family, and a 
collection of photographs chronicling Deford Bailey's career is 
currently on display in the entry hall at the main library downtown on 
Church Street.

''He is one of those unique musicians that far extended beyond country 
and the blues,'' Wolfe said during a telephone interview. ''In doing 
so, he helped broaden the definition of country music.

''Before Deford Bailey, country was seen as fiddle tunes and old Irish 
ballads. But Deford Bailey helped make country music be like a river 
with all these different streams flowing into it.''

Back in June 2000, I wrote a column wondering why Bailey, who died in 
Nashville in 1982 at the age of 82, had not been elected to the Country 
Music Hall of Fame.

The column came as Charley Pride and Faron Young were about to be 
inducted as the newest members.

''It's probably a matter of time,'' Ed Benson, executive director of 
the Country Music Association, said at the time. He added that Bailey 
had been at that time a first-round nominee for three years then, ''so 
I think that's an indication that his contribution needs to be 
recognized.''

''But it's very hard to predict. Very seldom does a person get in the 
Hall of Fame the first time he or she is nominated. Some names have 
come up for many years, and they're still not in.''

In the fall of 2001, a dozen new members were inducted into the Country 
Music Hall of Fame, and Deford Bailey was not among that group. And he 
is still on the outside today, with others also wondering why he hasn't 
made the cut.

''I think it's a political thing to a certain extent,'' David Morton 
told me in May 2002, as we talked about Bailey, a Smith County native.

''He's been nominated but always not voted in by the board of directors 
of the Country Music Association,'' Wolfe said of Bailey recently.

''It's a problem that's been very shortsighted.''

Wolfe added that apparently some of the CMA Hall of Fame directors only 
look back at the last 30 years of country music when they consider 
nominees, ''but country music existed long before that.''

Besides, Wolfe said, an event like Sunday's program is an indication 
that Bailey is indeed being recognized by some for the contributions he 
made.

Sunday's program is free and open to the public. If you get a chance, 
take it in, and take someone along to hear and learn more about the 
accomplishments of a man who stood only 4 feet 10 inches tall and 
weighed less than 100 pounds due to complications from infantile 
paralysis.

After you witness the program, I am sure that you, too, will agree with 
Charles Wolfe that ''Deford Bailey is one of the great unsung heroes of 
American music.''

Dwight Lewis is a columnist, regional editor and member of the 
editorial board for The Tennessean. E-mail: dlewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


http://www.randysinger.com
http:www.randyandnatasha.com

- --Apple-Mail-16--208636376

This is an article about Deford Bailey.


I take much interest in this. Perhaps you will too.


peace and harps,


randy singer

- ------------


<bold><fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>Dwight Lewis is a
columnist, regional editor and member of the editorial board for The
Tennessean</bigger></fontfamily></bold>

<bold><fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>


The caller on the other end of the telephone reminded me that Jackie
Robinson had no trouble being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.


So why hasn't the late Deford Bailey been elected to the prestigious
Country Music Hall of Fame? After all, the caller said, Bailey was the
Jackie Robinson of country music, breaking the color barrier years
before such greats as Charley Pride and O.B. McClinton and becoming
the first black star on the Grand Ole Opry.


''It's an injustice,'' said Charles Wolfe, a professor of English at
Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. ''Deford Bailey was
a very important figure who is somewhat in danger of being overlooked
and forgotten.


''He has a number of claims, not only to be an important Nashville
musician but also an important American musician. His influence in
music also extended far beyond Nashville and country.


''And, he was not just a musician who played the harmonica, but he was
an absolute virtuoso on the harmonica. Some people think the harmonica
is a novelty instrument, but it is a very complicated instrument to
play.


''With the harmonica, he not only blended notes and made the blues,
but he did stranger things. He got a great deal out of that cheap
instrument. He may have been America's greatest harmonica virtuoso.''


Bailey, who was one of the Opry's key figures in the 1920s and 1930s,
also knew how to play the banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin.


At 2:30 p.m. this Sunday, Deford Bailey is the subject of the second
program in the Nashville Public Library series ''Origins: The
Evolution of the Nashville Sound.''


The program, titled ''The Harmonica Wizardry of Deford Bailey,'' will
feature a panel discussion by Wolfe and David Morton of Reno, Nev. The
two have co-authored a book titled Deford Bailey: A Black Star in
Early Country Music.


Also serving as panelists will be Bailey's close friends, Archie
Allen, a civil rights movement historian who now lives in Ojai,
Calif., and Nashville resident James Talley, an internationally known
singer and composer of folk-style country music.


Music will be provided by members of the Bailey family, and a
collection of photographs chronicling Deford Bailey's career is
currently on display in the entry hall at the main library downtown on
Church Street.


''He is one of those unique musicians that far extended beyond country
and the blues,'' Wolfe said during a telephone interview. ''In doing
so, he helped broaden the definition of country music.


''Before Deford Bailey, country was seen as fiddle tunes and old Irish
ballads. But Deford Bailey helped make country music be like a river
with all these different streams flowing into it.''


Back in June 2000, I wrote a column wondering why Bailey, who died in
Nashville in 1982 at the age of 82, had not been elected to the
Country Music Hall of Fame.


The column came as Charley Pride and Faron Young were about to be
inducted as the newest members.


''It's probably a matter of time,'' Ed Benson, executive director of
the Country Music Association, said at the time. He added that Bailey
had been at that time a first-round nominee for three years then, ''so
I think that's an indication that his contribution needs to be
recognized.''


''But it's very hard to predict. Very seldom does a person get in the
Hall of Fame the first time he or she is nominated. Some names have
come up for many years, and they're still not in.''


In the fall of 2001, a dozen new members were inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame, and Deford Bailey was not among that
group. And he is still on the outside today, with others also
wondering why he hasn't made the cut.


''I think it's a political thing to a certain extent,'' David Morton
told me in May 2002, as we talked about Bailey, a Smith County native.


''He's been nominated but always not voted in by the board of
directors of the Country Music Association,'' Wolfe said of Bailey
recently.


''It's a problem that's been very shortsighted.''


Wolfe added that apparently some of the CMA Hall of Fame directors
only look back at the last 30 years of country music when they
consider nominees, ''but country music existed long before that.''


Besides, Wolfe said, an event like Sunday's program is an indication
that Bailey is indeed being recognized by some for the contributions
he made.


Sunday's program is free and open to the public. If you get a chance,
take it in, and take someone along to hear and learn more about the
accomplishments of a man who stood only 4 feet 10 inches tall and
weighed less than 100 pounds due to complications from infantile
paralysis.


After you witness the program, I am sure that you, too, will agree
with Charles Wolfe that ''Deford Bailey is one of the great unsung
heroes of American music.''


Dwight Lewis is a columnist, regional editor and member of the
editorial board for The Tennessean. E-mail:
<color><param>0000,0000,EEEC</param>dlewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx</color>.

</bigger></fontfamily></bold>


http://www.randysinger.com

http:www.randyandnatasha.com


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