A. P. Carter

Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter (December 15, 1891 – November 7, 1960) was an American musician and a founding member of the Carter Family, one of the most popular acts in the history of country music.

A.P. suffered from a tremor in his right hand, which his mother ascribed to a lightning strike when she was pregnant. Despite this, he successfully learned to play the fiddle and guitar during his childhood.

A.P., Sara, and Maybelle Carter started the Carter Family with Maybelle's husband and A.P.'s brother, Ezra, as manager in 1927. They played up until Sara and A.P.'s divorce in 1936, but reunited in 1956.

Birth and Death Data: Born Virginia (state of the United States of America), Died November 7, 1960 (Kingsport (city in Sullivan, Hawkins, and Washington counties in Tennessee, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1952

Roles Represented in DAHR: bass vocal, composer, arranger, lyricist, songwriter, violin, speaker

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 278 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-39750 10-in. 8/1/1927 Bury me under the weeping willow Carter Family Mixed vocal trio, with guitar and autoharp vocalist, bass vocal, composer  
Victor BVE-39751 10-in. 8/1/1927 Little log cabin by the sea Carter Family Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and autoharp vocalist, bass vocal, arranger  
Victor BVE-39752 10-in. 8/1/1927 The poor orphan child Carter Family Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and autoharp vocalist, bass vocal, arranger  
Victor BVE-39753 10-in. 8/1/1927 The storms are on the ocean Carter Family Mixed vocal trio, with guitar and autoharp vocalist, bass vocal, composer  
Victor BVE-39754 10-in. 8/2/1927 Single girl, married girl Carter Family Female vocal duet, with guitar and autoharp composer  
Victor BVE-39755 10-in. 8/2/1927 The wandering boy Carter Family Female vocal duet, with guitar and autoharp arranger  
Victor BVE-45020 10-in. 5/9/1928 Meet me by moonlight, alone Carter Family Female-male vocal duet, with autoharp and steel guitar vocalist, bass vocal, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-45021 10-in. 5/9/1928 Little darling, pal of mine Carter Family Female-male vocal duet, with autoharp and steel guitar vocalist, bass vocal, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-45022 10-in. 5/9/1928 Keep on the sunny side Carter Family Mixed vocal trio, with guitar and autoharp vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-45023 10-in. 5/9/1928 Anchored in love Carter Family Female-male vocal duet, with autoharp and guitar vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-45024 10-in. 5/10/1928 John Hardy was a desperate little man Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BVE-45025 10-in. 5/10/1928 I ain't goin' to work tomorrow Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-45026 10-in. 5/10/1928 Will you miss me when I'm gone Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-45027 10-in. 5/10/1928 River of Jordan Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist, bass vocal, arranger  
Victor BVE-45028 10-in. 5/10/1928 Chewing gum Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-45029 10-in. 5/10/1928 Wildwood flower Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BVE-45030 10-in. 5/10/1928 I have no one to love me (but the sailor on the deep blue sea) Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, vocalist, bass vocal, lyricist  
Victor BVE-45031 10-in. 5/10/1928 Forsaken love Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, vocalist, bass vocal, lyricist  
Victor BVE-49856 10-in. 2/14/1929 Sweet fern Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist, bass vocal, arranger  
Victor BVE-49857 10-in. 2/14/1929 My Clinch Mountain home Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist, bass vocal, composer  
Victor BVE-49858 10-in. 2/14/1929 God gave Noah the rainbow sign Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-49859 10-in. 2/14/1929 I'm thinking to-night of my Blue Eyes Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-49860 10-in. 2/14/1929 Little Moses Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-49861 10-in. 2/14/1929 Lulu Wall Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer, vocalist, bass vocal  
Victor BVE-49862 10-in. 2/14/1929 The grave on the green hillside Carter Family Vocal and instrumental ensemble vocalist, bass vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 278 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Carter, A. P.," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104345.

Carter, A. P.. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104345.

"Carter, A. P.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104345

External Sources

Wikipedia: A.P. Carter

Discogs: A. P. Carter

Allmusic: A. P. Carter

RILM: A. P. Carter

Britannica: A. P. Carter

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Carter, A. P. (Alvin Pleasant), 1891-1960 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83172235

Wikidata: A.P. Carter - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q321014

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/11226797

MusicBrainz: A.P. Carter - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/fe4efbf0-96b1-4219-af3a-70ce1b288f88

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/117664 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/117664

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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