This was supposed to be a book for Scholastic, but when 9/11 happened they cancelled the contract, and a lot of others at the time.
Legends of Country Music: The Golden Age, Cover
Emmylou Harris
Johnny Cash
This was the first attempt at what was to be the front dust jacket book cover. This is why I tend to stay with black & white... 😉
Loretta Lynn
Hank Williams
Tammy Wynette
Carter & Ralph - The Stanley Brothers
Circa 1948
Patsy Montana
Ruby Rose Blevins (October 30, 1908 – May 3, 1996), known professionally as Patsy Montana, was an American country music singer, songwriter and actress. Montana was the first female country performer to have a million-selling single with her signature song "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart", and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. [Wikipedia]
Bonnie Owens & Merle Haggard
Lefty Frizzell
William Orville Frizzell, known as Lefty Frizzell (March 31, 1928 – July 19, 1975), was an American country music singer-songwriter and honky-tonk singer. A vocalist who set the style of singing "the country way" for the generations that followed, Frizzell became one of the most successful and influential artists of country music throughout his career. He gained prominence in 1950 after two major hits, and throughout the decade was a very popular country performer. He smoothed out the rough edges of a honky tonk song by sounding out syllables longer and singing longer. Because of this, his music became much more mainstream without losing its honky-tonk attitude and persona. [Wikipedia]
The Solemn ol' Judge
George Dewey Hay (November 9, 1895 – May 8, 1968) was an American radio personality, announcer and newspaper reporter. He was the founder of the original Grand Ole Opry radio program on WSM-AM in Nashville, Tennessee, from which the country music stage show of the same name evolved. [Wikipedia]
Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson (March 23, 1868 – December 11, 1949) was an American old-time fiddler and singer who recorded what is widely considered to be the first country music song featuring vocals and lyrics.
Jimmy Martin
King of Bluegrass
Jimmie Rodgers
DeFord Baily
Country Music's First Black Star
The Delmore Brothers
Dustbowl migrants
Original currently owned by John Jorgenson.
A very young Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
This one looks a little bit lop-sided to me the further back you stand from it; up-close its not so bad.
"Cousin Jody"
James Clell Summey
Eck Robertson
America's first commercially recorded country artist (cutting "Sally Gooden" & "Arkansaw Traveler" on Victor in 1922).
The Maddox Brothers & Rose: "America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band"
"America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band"
The Carter Family
The Crook Brothers Band
Circa 1933