Roy Acuff

Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful. In 1952, Hank Williams told Ralph Gleason, "He's the biggest singer this music ever knew. You booked him and you didn't worry about crowds. For drawing power in the South, it was Roy Acuff, then God."

Acuff began his music career in the 1930s and gained regional fame as the singer and fiddler for his group, the Smoky Mountain Boys. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1938, and although his popularity as a musician waned in the late 1940s, he remained one of the Opry's key figures and promoters for nearly four decades. In 1942, Acuff and Fred Rose founded Acuff-Rose Music, the first major Nashville-based country music publishing company, which signed such artists as Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and the Everly Brothers. In 1962, Acuff became the first living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born Maynardville (city in Tennessee, United States), Died November 23, 1992 (Nashville (capital and largest city of Tennessee, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, vocalist, violin, composer, lyricist, songwriter, arranger, lead vocal, instrumentalist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 144 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-071019 10-in. 9/29/1941 The precious jewel Wade Mainer ; Sons of the Mountaineers String band, with vocal composer  
Victor E4LB-5977 10-in. 11/12/1954 Unloved and unclaimed Geer Sisters songwriter  
Victor D6VB-2963 10-in. 9/30/1946 All the world is lonely now Buckeye Boys ; Cliff Carlisle Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia MEM40 10-in. 7/5/1939 Smoky Mountain moon Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader  
Columbia HCO807 10-in. 5/28/1942 Wreck on the highway Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader, composer, vocalist, lyricist  
Columbia HCO808 10-in. 5/28/1942 Fire ball mail Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia HCO809 10-in. 5/28/1942 I'll reap my harvest in heaven Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia HCO810 10-in. 5/28/1942 Night train to Memphis Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia H811 10-in. 6/1/1942 Prodigal son Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia HCO812 10-in. 6/1/1942 Low and lonely Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia H813 10-in. 6/1/1942 Write me sweetheart Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal duet vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin, composer, lyricist  
Columbia HCO818 10-in. 6/1/1942 They can only fill one grave Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin, composer, lyricist  
Columbia H820 10-in. 6/4/1942 Don't make me go to bed and I'll be good Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia H822 10-in. 6/4/1942 Not a word from home Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal duet vocalist, leader, composer, lyricist  
Columbia H823 10-in. 6/4/1942 Do you wonder why Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, composer, lyricist  
Columbia H824 10-in. 6/4/1942 I'll forgive you but I can't forget Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia DAL944 10-in. 4/11/1940 Come back little pal Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Columbia DAL945 10-in. 4/11/1940 Will the circle be unbroken Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys Male vocal solo, with string band leader, vocalist  
Columbia DAL948 10-in. 4/11/1940 Beneath that lonely mound of clay Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader  
Columbia DAL949 10-in. 4/11/1940 The streamlined Cannon Ball Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, violin, leader, lyricist, composer  
Columbia DAL950 10-in. 4/11/1940 Weary river Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys Male vocal solo, with string band vocalist, leader  
Columbia DAL951 10-in. 4/12/1940 Farther along Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia DAL952 10-in. 4/12/1940 Blue eyed darling Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader  
Columbia DAL953 10-in. 4/12/1940 The precious jewel Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys String band, with male vocal solo vocalist, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Columbia DAL954 10-in. 4/12/1940 The broken heart Roy Acuff ; Smoky Mountain Boys Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with string band leader, vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 144 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Roy Acuff ," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313.

Roy Acuff . (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313.

"Roy Acuff ." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/300313

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