Sidney J. Harkreader

Sidney Johnson "Fiddlin' Sid" Harkreader (February 26, 1898 — March 19, 1988) was an American Old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was an early member of the Grand Ole Opry, at first accompanying banjoist Uncle Dave Macon and later performing on the program with his own band. In the 1940s, Harkreader formed and briefly toured with the Western band "The Round-Up Gang" before returning again to the Opry. Harkreader was born in Gladeville, Tennessee, a small town in the cedar glades region east of Nashville. His father encouraged him to develop musical abilities, and Harkreader learned to play fiddle at local square dances. Determined to become a professional entertainer, Harkreader first toured as a fiddler for the Loew vaudeville circuit. Around 1923, he paired with Uncle Dave Macon to play old-time music in Nashville, and the following year, the two recorded several sides for Vocalion Records. On November 6, 1925, Harkreader and Macon delivered a performance before a sold-out crowd at the Ryman Auditorium, and the two began performing for the Grand Ole Opry (at the time called WSM's Barn Dance) a few weeks later. Harkreader's typical repertoire included "Old Joe" (which he learned from fellow Opry pioneer Humphrey Bate), "Turkey in the Straw," "Sugar Walks Down the Street," "Ain't Goin' to Rain No More," and "Go Away Mule." Harkreader recorded two dozen tracks for Paramount Records, the first set coming in 1927 accompanied by Hawaiian slide-guitarist Grady Moore, and the second coming the following year accompanied by guitarist Blythe Poteet. In 1935, Harkreader returned to the Opry at the head of a string band, "Sid Harkreader and Company." The band consisted of Harkreader on fiddle and vocals, Emory Martin on mandolin, and Mack McGar on banjo. Around 1940, Harkeader formed "The Round-Up Gang" to record Western music, which had grown steadily in popularity in the previous decade. Harkreader eventually returned to the Opry, however, making guest appearances throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Harkreader is buried at Caraway Cemetery in Gladeville.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 26, 1898 (Gladeville), Died March 19, 1988

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar, violin

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Brunswick	C3657	10-in.	6/20/1929	Darling Zelma Lee	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	C3658	10-in.	6/20/1929	Put me in my little bed	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	C3659	10-in.	6/20/1929	Life and death of Jesse James	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	C3660	10-in.	6/20/1929	Man that rode the mule around the world	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	C3661	10-in.	6/20/1929	Tennessee jubilee	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	C3662	10-in.	6/20/1929	New coon in town	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	C3664	10-in.	6/20/1929	For goodness sakes don’t say I told you	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3665	10-in.	6/20/1929	We need a change in business all around	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3667	10-in.	6/20/1929	Mister Johnson	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3670	10-in.	6/20/1929	Uncle Dave and Sid on a cut up	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Banjo and guitar duet	instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3671	10-in.	6/20/1929	Select banjo waltz	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Banjo and guitar duet	instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3678	10-in.	6/21/1929	Nobody’s darling on earth	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3679	10-in.	6/21/1929	Over the mountain	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3688	10-in.	6/21/1929	Flitting away	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3689	10-in.	6/21/1929	Traveling down the road	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3691	10-in.	6/21/1929	Children, I must go	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3692	10-in.	6/21/1929	When first I fell in love	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3693	10-in.	6/21/1929	Railroadin’ and gamblin’	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	C3694	10-in.	6/21/1929	That’s where my money goes	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Uncle Dave Macon	Male vocal duet, with banjo and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Brunswick	677W-678W	10-in.	4/13/1925	The dying girl’s message	Sidney J. Harkreader	Male vocal solo, with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	681W-682W	10-in.	4/13/1925	Dark eyes	Sidney J. Harkreader	Male vocal solo, with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	687W-688W	10-in.	4/14/1925	New River train	Sidney J. Harkreader ; Sidney J. Harkreader	Male vocal solo, with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	689W-690W	10-in.	4/14/1925	Where is my boy tonight	Sidney J. Harkreader	Male vocal solo, with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	691W-692W	10-in.	4/14/1925	I wish I was a single girl again	Sidney J. Harkreader	Male vocal solo, with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Brunswick	693W-694W	10-in.	4/14/1925	Many times with you I wandered	Sidney J. Harkreader	Male vocal solo, with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist

(Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Harkreader, Sidney J.," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111394.

Harkreader, Sidney J.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111394.

"Harkreader, Sidney J.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.