Recorded in: Mississippi, United States, March 22, 1974.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording
sound-tape reel (analog, 7 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Place:
United States
Washington (D.C.)
Mississippi
Date:
1974 July 3
General note:
DPA number 74.101.09
Local Numbers:
FP-1974-7RR-0009
General:
74.101.09
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, July 3, 1974.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1974 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording
sound-tape reel (analog, 7 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Place:
United States
Washington (D.C.)
Mississippi
Date:
1974 July 6
Contents:
Newton County Boys--unk--Over the waves; Mike Ross--unk--Stoney Creek--Faded love; Hoyt Ming Family--Monkey in the dog cart--Drifting blues--Cripple coon; Duck Hill Billies--Black Mountain rag--Columbus stockade--Distant thunder--Carroll County blues--Let those brown eyes smile at me--Old Joe Clark--Muleskinner blues--Rocking alone in an old rocking chair
General note:
DPA number 74.101.44
Local Numbers:
FP-1974-7RR-0044
General:
CDR copy
74.101.44
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, July 6, 1974.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1974 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Community Life Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Musical Instruments Search this
Extent:
4 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Audiotapes
Clippings
Papers
Sheet music
Date:
1927-1983
Summary:
Alonzo Elvis "Tony" Alderman played country music with the Galax Dixie Concert Band and The Hill Billies. During the 1950s through 1970s he recorded old-time and early country music, primarily at festivals and conventions. Alderman recorded many of the open-reel audiotapes in the collection at the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia.
Scope and Contents:
The collection is divided into two series. Series one contains 98 1/4" open reel audiotapes primarily of the Galax Fiddler's Convention (1959-1963) made by Tony Alderman and three audio disc recordings. Series two contains manuscript materials including bills and receipts, correspondence, sheet music, newspaper clippings, performance announcements, and publications.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized into two series.
Series 1, Audiovisual, 1950-circa 1970
Series 2, Manuscript Materials, 1927-1976
Biographical / Historical:
Alonzo Elvis "Tony" Alderman, (1900-1983) was introduced to old-time music at an early age by his relatives in Galax, Virginia. Alderman learned to play trumpet, French horn, and, inspired by Earnest "Pop" Stoneman, the country fiddle. He first performed publicly with the Galax Dixie Concert (brass)Band.
In the late spring of 1924, he formed a group with John Rector, Al Hopkins, and Joe Hopkins. Rector convinced the band to record a record. Unfortunately, due to technical problems the recording session was unsuccessful.
Undaunted, the quartet travelled to OKeh Studios in January of 1925 where they recorded six songs under the supervision of Ralph Peer. When Peer asked the band's name Al Hopkins replied, "We're nothing but a bunch of hill billies from North Carolina and Virginia. Call us anything." Reportedly Inspired by his reply, Peer named the group "The Hill Billies."
"The Hill Billies" released their first record in February 1925. In May of that year while performing at a fiddler's convention sponsored by the Ku Klux Klan in Montana, Tennesee, they recruited Charlie Bowman from Gray Station, Tennessee to join them. Later that year 'The Hill Billies' left OKeh and joined the Combined Vocalion Brunswick Company to work with artist and repertoire man Jim O'Keefe. On the Vocalion label the band's name remained the same, but on the Brunswick label it changed to "Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters."
For the next several years, the "Pine Hill Billies" performed across the country, made several more records, and broadcast on WRC radio in Washington, D.C. After the group disbanded in 1932,Tony Alderman moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an x-ray technician, as well as an investor, and he experimented with aerial photography.
In 1970, Alderman retired to Golden Beach in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He joined the "Over the Hill Gang" and played at local celebrations, including solos for the National Council for Traditional Arts festivals, the Smithsonian Institution's Festival of American Folklife, and various holiday celebrations held by the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History.
Related Materials:
University of North Carolina. Southern Folklife Collection
Letter. Tony Alderman to Archie Green, 1961. Archie Green Collection (#20002).
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Only reference copies of the audiotapes and audio discs may be used.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
