Dan Hornsby

Dan Hornsby

Isaac Daniel Hornsby born 1 February 1900 in Atlanta, died 18 May 1951) - American singer, musician, music writer, producer and arranger.

Before career

Wife Luise

Granddoughter Nikki

His father Joseph Thomas Hornsby was a contractor and a part time Baptist minister.

Dan Hornsby attended North Georgia College. Later, at the age of 19 he worked as a painter with the W.E. Browne Decorating Co. in Columbus, Georgia when he met Louise Wise of Little Rock, Arkansas. She sang and danced in a roadshow and they met at the hotel, which Hornsby was painting. They married and had five children. His oldest son had a daughter Nikki Hornsby, who also became a fulltime artist - singer, songwriter, musician, producer, arranger, and founder of CJP-NHRecords, Inc.

Beginning of career

After the marriage Luise quit the stage, but Dan drifted towards show business although he did not have any formal musical training. However, he enjoyed playing trumpet and singing with various dance bands in Atlanta in the 1920's. Horsby formed his basic group Dan Hornsby Quartet: Perry Bechtel (banjo, guitar and bariton), Taylor Flanagan (piano and high tenor), Sterlin Melvin (guitar and bass guitar) and Dan Hornsby (lead singer and arranger).

The Atlanta Baking Company asked Hornsby to do a show on WSM Radio in Atlanta. The group name was changed to Bamby Baker Boys and Hornsby became the first commercial performer of the WSB radio station, which started airing in 1922. His pleasant disposition and sense of humour earned him a nickname "Cheerful Dan".

Main career

Hornsby's performance on radio was noticed by Columbia Records - the oldest record company. His main role was a sort of talent scout, but he had many roles at Columbia Records during the 1920's and early 1930's, including production of his own recordings like On Mobile Bay and I Want A Girl or with Young Brothers Tennessee Band: Are you from Dixie and Bill Bailey, won't you please come home, Oh! Susanna, Little Brown Jug, and other classic American songs. For example, Hornsby was the first recorded voice of the "Arkansas Traveler" and was the producer of the first recording of You Are My Sunshine.

Hornsby worked with Gid Tanner and his group Skillet Lickers. Horsby appeared usually in the role of city slicker, judge or sheriff, and he used nickname Tom Dorsey.

On 28 August 1928 a building collapsed in Shelby, North Carolina killing six people and injuring twice as many. Hornsby composed a song title Shelby Disaster:

Let the tears of fond remembrance,
flow gently, full and free;
Let all who read my story,
extend their sympathy.

Both the whispering hope of ages,
with true ambition shod,
leaps forth with reconstruction,
for hope is part of God.

And remember there's a city,
whose streets be our goal,
where buildings never crumble,
that city of the soul.

— Dan Hornsby, The Shelby Disaster

Together with Clayton McMichen Hornby wrote History in a few words published in 1931 by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.

In 1931 he recruited Alton and Rabon Delmore (later known as Delmore Brothers) for Columbia Records.

Changes

The Great Depression also affected the phonographic industry and Hornsby lost his job with Columbia Records despite selling over 9000 recordings of The Shelby Disaster. He then went back to radio and worked with several stations including WGST, where his roles included announcer, continuity man and even a comic in programs like "Down to Unkle Zeke's".

For Bluebird Records he played Uncle Ned in a series of children's bedtime stories such as "Humpty Dumpty", "Wynkyn, Blynky and Nod".

In 1939 he appeared in the first television broadcast in Atlanta. Later he joined RCA Victor Records and then moved to other stations like WATL and WCON.

In 1986 Dan Hornsby was included into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame, joining the names of some of his friends and associates: Gid Tanner, Clayton McMichen and Riley Puckett.

Bands

Dan Hornsby (front row, second from left with a trumpet) with one of his bands

Skillet Lickers (without Hornsby)

During his career Hornsby both created or joined many music bands:

• Dan Hornsby Trio
• Dan Hornsby Novelty Quartet
• Dan Hornsby Novelty Orchestra
• Dan Hornsby & His Lion's Den Trio
• Skillet Lickers
• Young Brothers Tennessee Band
• Bamby Baker Boys
• Taylor Flanagan & His Trio
• Georgia Organ Grinders.

Discography

Dan Hornsby during recording "Strolling Down The Lane"

Year	Songs
1927	Are You From Dixie Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home Dear Old Girl The Banquet In Misery Hall Cubanola Glide Oh! Susanna
1928	On Mobile Bay I Want A Girl (Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad) Goodbye Alexander Oceana Roll The Shelby Disaster The Story Of C.S. Carnes She Was Bred In Old Kentucky Can't Yo' Heah Me Callin' Caroline Ho! By Jingo Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? Just A Baby's Prayer At Twilight I'm Sorry I Made You Cry Original Arkansas Traveler Part 1 Original Arkansas Traveler Part 2
1929	The Vamp Take Me Out To The Ball Game Hinky Dinky Dee All Alone Lovin' Henry Old Weary Blues Four Thousand Years Ago A Night In A Blind Tiger
1930	History In A Few Words The Lunatic's Lullaby
1931	Katinka A Sailor's Sweetheart Three Blind Mice So This Is Venice
1934	Whoa, Mule, Whoa Hinkey-Dinkey-Dee Prosperity And Politics Practice Night With The Skillet Lickers
1939	I Found You Among The Roses
unknown	Little Brown Jug You Are My Sunshine Strolling Down The Lane