(It is impossible to separate the story of  “Mother Maybelle” from the story of “The Carter Family” – Dusty Owens, TCM Radio News)

The Carter Family could be called the First Family of Country Music. Few artists have had the influence on country music that can be attributed to the Carter Family.

On July 31, 1927, A.P. “Doc” Carter drove a Model A Ford loaded with his wife Sara, his sister-in-law Maybelle (who was seven months pregnant at the time), and Sara's two children and various musical instruments from Maces Spring, Virginia, to Bristol, Tenn.

The purpose of the trip was to record for Victor talent scout Ralph Peer, who was conducting a 10-day session in a leased storefront on State Street. Although Peer had solicited musicians for the session via an article placed in a local newspaper, the Carter session had been pre-arranged between A.P. and Peer through the assistance of the local Victrola merchant. The trio cut six sides on August 1-2, including “The Storms are on the Ocean” and “Single Girl, Married Girl” thus beginning an important era in country music. Along with the Carter family, Peer also “discovered” country music's first solo star, Jimmie Rodgers, at this historic event, in addition to recording seasoned veterans such as Ernest V. “Pop” Stoneman and Blind Alfred Reed.

From 1927-1943 the Carters recorded some 350 songs for the Victor, ARC (later to become Columbia Records), and Decca labels. Today many of these songs remain staples of country music, including “I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes,” “My Clinch Mountain Home,” “Worried Man Blues,” “Wabash Cannonball,” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

A.P. was the manager and collector of folk songs to record, as well as occasionally singing harmony. Sara sang the strong lead vocals and generally played autoharp, and Maybelle added alto harmony and generally played guitar. “Mother Maybelle,” as she became known when the folk revival discovered her in the ‘60s, had a distinct style of guitar playing, picking out the melody on the bass strings while maintaining the rhythm with chords on the treble strings, today simply called “Carter picking.”

For years, the Carter Family sound could be heard blanketing the United States on super-powered stations across the Texas border in Mexico. Then family duties called two of the three members. Sara (who had divorced A.P. and married his cousin) retired to California. A.P. went back to Maces Spring and started a country store. Mother Maybelle, however, kept going strong with her three daughters, Helen, June (Mrs. Johnny Cash) and Anita.

The Carter Family was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970.

Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter, born in Maces Springs, Virginia, December 15, 1891, died November 7, 1960.

Sara Dougherty Carter Bayes, born in Flat Woods, Virginia, July 21, 1898, died January 8, 1979.

Maybelle Addington Carter, born in Copper Creek, Virginia, May 10, 1909, died October 23, 1978.

Courtesy of
CMT.com