George Reneau

George McKinley Reneau (May 18, 1902 – June 5, 1938) was an American blind street musician who became one of country music's earliest recording artists. Known as "The Blind Musician of the Smoky Mountains", Reneau recorded more than 50 songs on the Vocalion and Edison labels in the mid-1920s. While he is credited on his early recordings as a solo artist on vocals, guitar and harmonica, the singing on many if not most of his songs was by an uncredited Gene Austin, a vaudville performer and Tin Pan Alley composer who would become one of the most successful recording artists of the era.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1901 (Jefferson County), Died 1933 (Knoxville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1925

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar, harmonica

Notes: Often sub-credited as "The Blind Musician of the Smoky Mountains."

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick 410W-412W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Little rosewood casket Gene Austin Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 413W-415W 10-in. 2/24/1925 The prisoner’s song George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and jew's harp vocalist  
Brunswick 416W-418W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Woman’s suffrage George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and Jew's harp vocalist  
Brunswick 419W-421W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Wild and reckless hobo George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and Jew's harp vocalist  
Brunswick 422W-424W 10-in. 2/24/1925 The lightning express Gene Austin Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 425W-427W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Rock all our babies to sleep Gene Austin Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 428W-429W 10-in. 2/24/1925 Wild Bill Jones George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 430W-431W 10-in. 2/24/1925 The letter edged in black George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1447W-1449W 10-in. 10/14/1925 The sinking of the Titanic George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1450W-1452W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Rovin' gambler George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1453W-1455W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Railroad lover George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1456W-1458W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Gambling on the Sabbath Day George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1459W-1461W 10-in. 10/14/1925 The old man on the hill George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1462W-1464W 10-in. 10/14/1925 Bad companions George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1465W-1467W 10-in. 10/15/1925 The weeping willow tree George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1468W-1470W 10-in. 10/15/1925 May I sleep in your barn tonight, Mister? George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1471W-1473W 10-in. 10/15/1925 Love always has its way George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1479W-1481W 10-in. 10/15/1925 When I shall cross over the dark rolling tide George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1482W-1484W 10-in. 10/15/1925 On top of Old Smoky George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1485W-1486W 10-in. 10/15/1925 When the work's all done this fall George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Brunswick 1487W-1488W 10-in. 10/15/1925 The old rugged cross George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1489W-1491W 10-in. 10/16/1925 The hand of fate George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1492W-1494W 10-in. 10/16/1925 Jack and Joe George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1495W-1497W 10-in. 10/16/1925 I'm glad my wife's in Europe George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Brunswick 1498W-1500W 10-in. 10/16/1925 The fatal wedding George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Brunswick 1501W-1503W 10-in. 10/16/1925 The two orphans George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Edison 9727 10-in. 9/22/1924 Lonesome road blues Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9728 10-in. 9/22/1924 Blue Ridge blues Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9729 10-in. 9/22/1924 Turkey in the straw Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9730 10-in. 9/23/1924 Little brown jug Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9731 10-in. 9/23/1924 You will never miss your mother until she is gone Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9732 10-in. 9/23/1924 Arkansas traveler (Breakdown) Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9735 10-in. 9/24/1924 Life's railway to heaven Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Edison 9736 10-in. 9/24/1924 Susie Ann Blue Ridge Duo Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica  
Vocalion 13054 10-in. Apr. 1924 Wreck on the Southern ‘97 George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13058 10-in. Apr. 1924 Lonesome road blues George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13061 10-in. Apr. 1924 Little brown jug George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13069 10-in. Apr. 1924 You will never miss your mother till she’s gone George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13072 10-in. Apr. 1924 Turkey in the straw George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13076 10-in. April 1924 Life's railway to heaven George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13079 10-in. Apr. 1924 Casey Jones George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13112 10-in. Apr. 1924 Susie Ann George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13114 10-in. May 1924 Blue Ridge blues George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13116 10-in. Apr. 1924 When you and I were young, Maggie George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13120 10-in. Apr. 1924 Here rattler here George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13122 10-in. Apr. 1924 Arkansas traveler George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13666-13667 10-in. 9/10/1924 Red Wing George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist  
Vocalion 13677-13678 10-in. 9/12/1924 Jesse James George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist  
Vocalion 13679-13680 10-in. 9/12/1924 Birmingham George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist  
Vocalion 13681-13682 10-in. 9/12/1924 New Market wreck George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist  
Vocalion 13687-13688 10-in. 9/15/1924 Smoky Mountain blues George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13689-13691 10-in. 9/15/1924 The baggage coach ahead George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13698-13699 10-in. 9/16/1924 The C & O wreck George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13700-13701 10-in. 9/16/1924 We’re floating down the stream of time George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica vocalist  
Vocalion 13702-13703 10-in. 9/17/1924 The bald-headed end of the broom George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13704-13705 10-in. 9/17/1924 My Redeemer George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  
Vocalion 13706-13708 10-in. 9/17/1924 I’ve got the railroad blues George Reneau Male vocal solo vocalist  
Vocalion 13718-13719 10-in. 9/17/1924 Softly and tenderly George Reneau Male vocal solo, with guitar and harmonica instrumentalist, guitar, harmonica, vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Reneau, George," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118.

Reneau, George. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118.

"Reneau, George." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113118

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