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J. E. Mainer (born July 20, 1898 near Weaversville, North Carolina - died June 12, 1971) was an American old time fiddler who followed in the wake of Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers.
[edit] Biography
Joseph Emmett Mainer grew up on a farm in the mountains and learned to play the banjo and fiddle from an early age. Since Wade, his brother, also was interested in learning to play the banjo, he left that to Wade and concentrated on the fiddle. Soon, Mainer began performing at local country barn dances. He found work at a textile mill in Knoxville, Tennessee but moved to Concord, North Carolina in 1922 for another work in a mill. Mainer's fame as a fiddler rose and sponsored by the Crazy Water Crystals, he and his newly formed band made their radio debut on WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina calling themselves "J.E.Mainer and his Crazy Mountaineers." The band appeared on several radio stations in the following years until 1935, when they received a recording contract. In August the same year, the Mountaineers, consisting of J. E., Wade Mainer, Zeke Morris, and "Daddy" John Love, recorded for Bluebird Records. Wade Mainer and Zeke Morris decided to leave the band in 1936 to form a duo. The next year, the "Sons of the Mountaineers" was formed. Shortly, Leonard Stokes and George Morris replaced Wade and Zeke. The band continued to perform on radio stations in both North and South Carolina. The Mountaineers disbanded at the outbreak of World War II, but Mainer continued to record in the late 1940s, together with his sons, Glenn and Curly, for King Records. In the 1970s, after his death, literally hundreds of post-war recordings were released on Rural Rhythm Records.
[edit] Original Discography
[edit] J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers
| Matrix |
Title |
Record # |
Recording date |
| 94328 |
"Ship's Sailing Now" |
Bluebird 6088 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94329 |
"This World Is Not My Home" |
Bluebird 6088 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94330 |
"Maple On the Hill" |
Bluebird 6065 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94331 |
"Take Me Into the Lifeboat" |
Bluebird 6065 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94332 |
"Seven and a Half" |
Bluebird 6792 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94333 |
"New Curly Headed Baby" |
Bluebird 6104 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94336 |
"Broken Hearted Blues" |
Bluebird 6090 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94338 |
"Let Her Go God Bless Her" |
Bluebird 6104 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94339 |
"City On the Hill" |
Bluebird 6160 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94340 |
"The Longest Train" |
Bluebird 6222 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94341 |
"Write a Letter To Mother" |
Bluebird 6194 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94342 |
"Lights In the Valley" |
Bluebird 6160 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 94343 |
"Searching For a Pair of Blue Eyes" |
Bluebird 6194 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 99110 |
"Budded Roses" |
Bluebird 6675 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99111 |
"What Makes Him Do It" |
Bluebird 6624 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99113 |
"Goin' Back West In the Fall" |
Bluebird 6440 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99114 |
"New Lost Train Blues" |
Bluebird 6424 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99115 |
"Number 111" |
Bluebird 6424 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99116 |
"I Am Walking In the Light" |
Bluebird 6385 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99117 |
"Don't Cause Mother's Hair To Turn Grey" |
Bluebird 6324 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99118 |
"When I Reach My Home Eternal" |
Bluebird 6385 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99119 |
"Fatal Wreck of the Bus" |
Bluebird 6290 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99120 |
"Behind the Parlor Door" |
Bluebird 6440 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99121 |
"Satisfied" |
Bluebird 6324 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99122 |
"One To Love Me" |
Bluebird 6290 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99138 |
"Maple On the Hill, Part 2" |
Bluebird 6293 |
February 15, 1936 |
| 99139 |
"Going To Georgia" |
Bluebird 6423 |
February 15, 1936 |
| 99140 |
"Nobody's Darling But Mine" |
Bluebird 6423 |
February 15, 1936 |
| 102600 |
"On a Cold Winter Night" |
Bluebird 6629 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102601 |
"John Henry Was a Little Boy" |
Bluebird 6629 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102602 |
"The Old and Faded Picture" |
Bluebird 6479 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102603 |
"Take Me Home To Sweet Sunny Tennessee" |
Bluebird 6479 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102605 |
"I've Got a Home In the Rock" |
Bluebird 6539 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102606 |
"Johnson's Old Grey Mule" |
Bluebird 6584 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102608 |
"Going Down the River of Jordan" |
Bluebird 6539 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102609 |
"Why Do You Bob Your Hair Girls" |
Bluebird 6792 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 102611 |
"Watermelon On the Vine" |
Bluebird 6584 |
June 15, 1936 |
| 2530 |
"They Said My Lord Was a Devil" |
Bluebird 6653 |
October 1936 |
| 2533 |
"Just One Way To the Pearly Gates" |
Bluebird 6784 |
October 1936 |
| 2534 |
"Dear Daddy You're Gone" |
Bluebird 6752 |
October 1936 |
| 2537 |
"Cowboy's Pony In Heaven" |
Bluebird 6653 |
October 1936 |
| 11815 |
"I'm Not Turning Backward" |
Bluebird 7165 |
August 2, 1937 |
| 11818 |
"Mountain Sweetheart" |
Bluebird 7587 |
August 2, 1937 |
| 11819 |
"Don't Forget Me Lil Darlin'" |
Bluebird 7587 |
August 2, 1937 |
| 11987 |
"We Can't Be Darlings Anymore" |
Bluebird 7151 |
August 1937 |
| 11988 |
"Tell Mother I'll Meet Her" |
Bluebird 7222 |
August 1937 |
| 11989 |
"In a Little Village Church Yard" |
Bluebird 7222 |
August 1937 |
| 11990 |
"Carry Your Cross With a Smile" |
Bluebird 7523 |
August 1937 |
| 11992 |
"Answer To Greenback Dollar" |
Bluebird 7151 |
August 1937 |
| 11995 |
"Floating Down the Stream of Time" |
Bluebird 7523 |
August 1937 |
| 11996 |
"Don't Go Out" |
Bluebird 7349 |
August 1937 |
| 11997 |
"Don't Get Trouble In Your Mind" |
Bluebird 7289 |
August 1937 |
| 11998 |
"Kiss Me Cindy" |
Bluebird 7289 |
August 1937 |
| 18600 |
"Your Best Friend Is Always Near" |
Bluebird 7586 |
January 1938 |
| 18601 |
"Lamp Lighting Time In Heaven" |
Bluebird 7412 |
January 1938 |
| 18602 |
"When the Light's Gone Out In Your Soul" |
Bluebird 7586 |
January 1938 |
| 18603 |
"Once I Loved a Young Man" |
Bluebird 7659 |
January 1938 |
| 18604 |
"Somebody Cares" |
Bluebird 7659 |
January 1938 |
| 18605 |
"I'm Living the Right Life Now" |
Bluebird 7412 |
January 1938 |
| 18606 |
"Just Over In the Glory Land" |
Bluebird 7730 |
January 1938 |
| 18607 |
"I'm In the Glory Land Way" |
Bluebird 7730 |
January 1938 |
| 18608 |
"If I Lose Let Me Lose" |
Bluebird 7471 |
January 1938 |
| 18609 |
"Great Reaping Day" |
Bluebird 7958 |
January 1938 |
| 18610 |
"Oh Why Did I Ever Get Married" |
Bluebird 7471 |
January 1938 |
| 18611 |
"Back To Johnson City" |
Bluebird 7845 |
January 1938 |
| 18763 |
"Lonely Tomb" |
Bluebird 7424 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 18765 |
"All My Friends" |
Bluebird 7424 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 18767 |
"Don't Get Too Deep In Love" |
Bluebird 7483 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 18768 |
"Don't Leave Me Alone" |
Bluebird 7561 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 18769 |
"I Won't Be Worried" |
Bluebird 7561 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 18770 |
"Where Romance Calls" |
Bluebird 7753 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 18771 |
"Another Alabama Camp Meeting" |
Bluebird 7753 |
January 27, 1938 |
| 26981 |
"Farther Along" |
Bluebird 8023 |
September 1938 |
| 26982 |
"Dear Loving Mother and Dad" |
Bluebird 8152 |
September 1939 |
| 26983 |
"Can't Tell About These Women" |
Bluebird 7965 |
September 1938 |
| 26985 |
"If I Had Listened To Mother" |
Bluebird 8137 |
September 1938 |
| 26986 |
"She Is Spreading Her Wings For a Journey" |
Bluebird 8023 |
September 1938 |
| 26997 |
"Mother Still Prays For You" |
Bluebird 8137 |
September 1938 |
| 27702 |
"More Good Women Gone Wrong" |
Bluebird 7965 |
September 1938 |
| 32625 |
"Sparkling Blue Eyes" |
Bluebird 8042 |
February 1939 |
| 32626 |
"We Will Miss Him" |
Bluebird 8042 |
February 1939 |
| 32627 |
"I Left My Home In the Mountains" |
Bluebird 8091 |
February 1939 |
| 32628 |
"I Met Her At a Ball One Night" |
Bluebird 8091 |
February 1939 |
| 32629 |
"You May Forsake Me" |
Bluebird 8120 |
February 1939 |
| 32630 |
"Look On and Cry" |
Bluebird 8120 |
February 1939 |
| 32631 |
"One Little Kiss" |
Bluebird 8145 |
February 1939 |
| 32632 |
"Mama Don't Make Me Go To Bed" |
Bluebird 8145 |
February 1939 |
| 32635 |
"Drunkard's Hiccups" |
Bluebird 8400 |
February 1939 |
| 32636 |
"Country Blues" |
Bluebird 8187 |
February 1939 |
| 32638 |
"Concord Rag" |
Bluebird 8187 |
February 1939 |
| ? |
"Crying Holy" |
Bluebird 8203 |
1939 |
| ? |
"Heaven's Bells Are Ringing" |
Bluebird 8203 |
[edit] Daddy John Love
| Matrix |
Title |
Record # |
Recording date |
| 94337 |
"Greenback Dollar" |
Bluebird 6090 |
August 6, 1935 |
| 99106 |
"My Wife Went Away and Left Me" |
Bluebird 6294 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99107 |
"Railroad Blues" |
Bluebird 6624 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99109 |
"Over the Hills In Carolina" |
Bluebird 6675 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 99112 |
"My Little Red Ford" |
Bluebird 6294 |
February 14, 1936 |
| 102725 |
"I Am Dreaming of Mother" |
Bluebird 6583 |
June 20, 1936 |
| 102726 |
"Cotton Mill Blues" |
Bluebird 6491 |
June 20, 1936 |
| 102727 |
"Blue Days" |
Bluebird 6583 |
June 20, 1936 |
| 102728 |
"There's No Place Like Home" |
Bluebird 6491 |
June 20, 1936 |
| 102729 |
"Homeless Child" |
Bluebird 8199 |
June 20, 1936 |
| 102730 |
"Where Is My Mama" |
Bluebird 8199 |
June 20, 1936 |
[edit] Lester Stokes/Zeke Morris
| Matrix |
Title |
Record # |
Recording date |
| 11991 |
"Swing the Door of Your Heart Open Wide" |
Bluebird 7401 |
August 1937 |
| 11993 |
"There's a Green Hill Far Away" |
Bluebird 7401 |
August 1937 |
| 11994 |
"You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone" |
Bluebird 7349 |
August 1937 |
[edit] References
