Clarence Ashley

Clarence "Tom" Ashley (September 29, 1895 – June 2, 1967) was an American musician and singer, who played the clawhammer banjo and the guitar. He began performing at medicine shows in the Southern Appalachian region as early as 1911, and gained initial fame during the late 1920s as both a solo recording artist and as a member of various string bands. After his "rediscovery" during the folk revival of the 1960s, Ashley spent the last years of his life playing at folk music concerts, including appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York and at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 29, 1895 (Bristol), Died June 2, 1967 (Winston-Salem)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, banjo

Notes: Also seen as: Thomas Clarence Ashley, Thomas C. Ashley, Tom Ashley.

See Also: Thomas Clarence Ashley

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 26 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-47163 10-in. 10/14/1928 Roll on, boys Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-47164 10-in. 10/14/1928 You are a little too small Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-47165 10-in. 10/14/1928 Peg and awl Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-47166 10-in. 10/14/1928 I'll be washed Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-51067 10-in. 4/3/1929 My home's across the Blue Ridge Mountains Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-51069 10-in. 4/3/1929 The train's done left me Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-51072 10-in. 4/3/1929 Rude and rambling man Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BVE-51079 10-in. 4/4/1929 The old gray goose Carolina Tar Heels Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Columbia W149240 10-in. 10/23/1929 Frankie Silvers Byrd Moore and his Hot Shots Female-male vocal trio, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars vocalist  
Columbia W149241 10-in. 10/23/1929 The hills of Tennessee Byrd Moore and his Hot Shots Female-male vocal trio, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars vocalist  
Columbia W149242 10-in. 10/23/1929 Careless love Byrd Moore and his Hot Shots Female-male vocal trio, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars vocalist  
Columbia W149243 10-in. 10/23/1929 Three men went a-hunting Byrd Moore and his Hot Shots Female-male vocal trio, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars vocalist  
Columbia W149250 10-in. 10/23/1929 Dark holler blues Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W149251 10-in. 10/23/1929 The coo-coo bird Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W149252 10-in. 10/23/1929 Little Sadie Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W149253 10-in. 10/23/1929 Naomi Wise Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W150210 10-in. 4/14/1930 The house carpenter Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W150211 10-in. 4/14/1930 Old John Hardy Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W150212 10-in. 4/14/1930 Ain't got no money babe Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W150213 10-in. 4/14/1930 Bitter pill blues Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W150214 10-in. 4/14/1930 Dear, I love you Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Columbia W150215 10-in. 4/14/1930 I once knew a little girl Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo instrumentalist, banjo, vocalist  
Gennett 13419 10-in. 2/2/1928 Ohio lovers Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar vocalist  
Gennett 13420 10-in. 2/2/1928 Drunkard's dream Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar vocalist  
Gennett 13421 10-in. 2/2/1928 You're a little too small Clarence Ashley Male vocal solo, with banjo and guitar vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 26 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Ashley, Clarence," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110173.

Ashley, Clarence. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110173.

"Ashley, Clarence." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110173

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