Clayton McMichen

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Clayton McMichen (born January 26, 1900 - died January 4, 1970) was an American fiddler and country musician.

Born in Allatoona, Georgia, McMichen learned to play the fiddle from his father and uncle. He moved to Atlanta with his family in 1913, working as an automobile mechanic. While there, he entered and won several competitions for fiddle. McMichen formed the Hometown Boys in 1918 and on September 18, 1922, they made their first radio debut. In 1925, he began recording with the Skillet Lickers. They became one of the nation's most successful country acts of the 1920s, and recorded profusely. McMichen's first solo success was the 1927 hit "Sweet Bunch of Roses", which sold over 100,000 records. He also recorded crooner ballads under the name Bob Nichols, but only hit with the tune "My Carolina Home". One of his best-known tunes was "Peach Pickin' Time in Georgia", recorded by Jimmie Rodgers.

The Skillet Lickers split in 1931, and McMichen fell on hard times; he started a traveling medicine show in the 1930s and arranged fiddle contests in addition to competing in them. He recorded little after the early 1930s, and eventually retired from performing entirely in 1955. He was asked to restart his career during the folk revival of the 1960s, but was initially reticent; however, his performances at the Bean Blossom festival and the Newport Folk Festival in 1964 were successes. He continued to perform almost up until his death in 1970.

In 1988, Merle Travis and Mac Wiseman released an album called The Clayton McMichen Story in tribute to him.

[edit] References

• Clayton McMichen at All Music Guide
• Stars of Country Music, (University of Illinois Press, 1975)