- Clyde Moody
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Clyde Moody (September 19, 1915 – April 7, 1989), also known as the "Hillbilly Waltz King" and sometimes as "The Genial Gentleman of Country Music" was one the great founders of American Bluegrass music.
Born in Cherokee, North Carolina, Moody got his start in the late 1938 in the string band J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers. He continued as a member of the Browns Ferry Four with Merle Travis, Grandpa Jones and The Delmore Brothers. In 1940 he was one of Bill Monroe's original Blue Grass Boys and on the Grand Ole Opry. They started out in Cincinnati in 1943 as the Drifting Pioneers on WLW radio. He also played at the first Bluegrass Festival at Fincastle, Virginia, in 1965.
His career highlights include appearing in the White House 3 times and writing and recording the million-seller Shenandoah Waltz. He sang with a young Elvis Presley in 1955 when Tom Parker paired them for a six-week tour.
He died in Nashville, Tennessee.
His nephew, Bruce Moody is also a popular bluegrass musician and toured with him 1962-1969.
External links
Categories: 1915 births | 1989 deaths | American bluegrass musicians | King Records artists | Starday Records artists | People from Swain County, North Carolina | American country musician stubs
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