Emry Arthur

Emry Arthur (* 1900 in Elk Spring Valley, Kentucky, † 1966 in Indianapolis, Indiana) was an American Old-time musicians. Arthur took on an early version of the song Man of Constant Sorrow.

Life

Childhood and youth

Emry Arthur was around the turn of the century in the Elk Spring Valley in Wayne County, Kentucky, was born. His father collected old traditional songs from Kentucky and the entire family was known for their musicality in the area. Arthur himself learned to play guitar, but later had a simpler, more percussive style of playing time as usual because he had lost a finger in a hunting accident. With his brothers Sam and Henry, playing fiddle and banjo, he has already performed early. By Dick Burnett, who lived in nearby Monticello and a well-known family, was met Arthur Burnett's Farewell Song, Arthur later grossed under the title Man of Constant Sorrow.

Career

The mid- 1920s drew Arthur to Indianapolis to find work. He earned his money there, with different jobs, but pursued the goal of pursuing a career as a musician. Dick Burnett and Leonard Rutherford, who were in his home state of Kentucky as early as 1914 celebrities, inspired him. Together with his brother Henry, he traveled to Chicago in 1928 and held on 17 and 18 January for Vocalion Records its first session, during which grossed among others, Henry Man of Constant Sorrow. The records sold well, so Arthur was invited back to the studio. In 1929 he returned with William Rexroat to take more pictures. Not only traditional songs was interesting for Arthur, but also blues and self-written material. For example, it took two compositions from his manager WE Myer, Sunshine and Shadows, and True Love Divine, later for Paramount. He also worked for Dock Boggs on the Lonesome Ace session guitarist and played as a singer for Floyd Thompson's band, The Home Towners, a plate a.

In 1929 his wife but divorced Arthur and he lost due to the economic depression his contract with Vocalion. Frustrated pulled Arthur to Port Washington, Wisconsin, where he found work at the Wisconsin Chair Company. The company owned the Paramount Records label and as Arthur's superiors learned who he was, she switched on to the record label. Here Arthur took on more songs, but they sold very poorly and Paramount was soon closed it.

Arthur then moved back to Indianapolis, where he spent the rest of his life. He made his last recordings in 1935 for Decca Records, which also sold poorly. After Arthur retired from the music business. He died in 1966 in Indianapolis. Unlike many other folk musicians of his time, Arthur pursued his career determined, however, focused only on the record shop and performed as good as or was never heard on the radio. He also left no autobiography or interviews with folklorist, so he, despite his comprehensive work of 80 pieces is almost forgotten today.

Discography

Paramount pictures were also published at Broadway Records and Lonesome Ace Records.