Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell)

The Tennessee Ramblers were an American Country and Western swing band that originally consisted of Dick Hartman (1898–1962) on mandolin and vocals, Harry Blair on guitar and vocals, Kenneth Wolfe on fiddle, and Cecil Campbell on banjo and steel guitar. Hartman formed the band in 1928 to perform on Pittsburgh radio station KDKA. In 1934, the band moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, which remained their base for most of the band's lifespan. While in Charlotte, the group played on WBT.

By the time the Tennessee Ramblers made their first recording for Bluebird Records in 1935, they had added bassist Fred Morris, fiddler Elmer Warren, and a novelty musician named Jack Gillette. The band performed in the 1936 motion picture Ride Ranger Ride and the 1937 film The Yodelin' Kid from Pine Ridge, both starring Gene Autry. Although Hartman left the group in 1938, the band continued performing under the leadership of Gillette. They appeared in several films in the early 1940s, including Tex Ritter's The Pioneers in 1941.

In 1949, Harry Blair retired, leaving Campbell as the last remaining original member. Campbell continued using the band's name, however, until the 1980s.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1928

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 133 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-94305 10-in. 8/4/1935 Little green valley Harry Blair ; Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal trio Musical group  
Victor BS-94306 10-in. 8/4/1935 'Dis train Harry Blair ; Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal trio Musical group  
Victor BS-94307 10-in. 8/4/1935 Little sweetheart of the mountain Harry Blair ; Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal trio Musical group  
Victor BS-94308 10-in. 8/4/1935 Give me back my Texas home Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Victor BS-94309 10-in. 8/4/1935 New River train Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Victor BS-94310 10-in. 8/4/1935 Dese bones gonna rise again Harry Blair ; Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal duet Musical group  
Victor BS-94311 10-in. 8/4/1935 Step light ladies Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94312 10-in. 8/4/1935 Melody of Hawaii Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94313 10-in. 8/4/1935 Birmingham jail Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal duet Musical group  
Victor BS-94314 10-in. 8/4/1935 Pennsylvania hop Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94315 10-in. 8/4/1935 Kentucky jig Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94318 10-in. 8/5/1935 Who broke the lock? Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Happy Morris ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal trio Musical group  
Victor BS-94319 10-in. 8/5/1935 Ramblers' rag Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94320 10-in. 8/5/1935 Leechburg polka Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94321 10-in. 8/5/1935 Goin' down the road Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Happy Morris ; Pappy Wolfe String band, with male vocal trio Musical group  
Victor BS-94322 10-in. 8/5/1935 Memories of old Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-94323 10-in. 8/5/1935 Dick's hoedown Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers String band Musical group  
Victor BS-102796 10-in. 6/22/1936 The white house on the hill Harry Blair ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe Male vocal duet and string band Musical group  
Victor BS-102797 10-in. 6/22/1936 I want to walk the heavenly way Harry Blair ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe Male vocal duet and string band Musical group  
Victor BS-102798 10-in. 6/22/1936 Hold fast to the right, baby Harry Blair ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe Male vocal duet and string band Musical group  
Victor BS-102799 10-in. 6/22/1936 What is home without baby Harry Blair ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe Male vocal duet and string band Musical group  
Victor BS-102800 10-in. 6/22/1936 Give my love to Nell Curly Campbell ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Happy Morris Male vocal duet and string band Musical group  
Victor BS-102801 10-in. 6/22/1936 Are you tired of me, darling? Harry Blair ; Dick Hartman Tennessee Ramblers ; Pappy Wolfe Male vocal duet and string band Musical group  
Victor BS-031983 10-in. 2/2/1939 Sugar blues Tennessee Ramblers Instrumental ensemble Musical group  
Victor BS-031984 10-in. 2/2/1939 Trumpet talking blues Tennessee Ramblers Instrumental ensemble Musical group  
(Results 26-50 of 133 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell)," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110935.

Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell). (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110935.

"Tennessee Ramblers (Cecil Campbell)." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110935

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