Jimmie Rodgers
Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Jimmie Rodgers 1897 1933. "Singing Brakeman" lived in Asheville, 1927. Began his country music career with radio broadcasts on WWNC, then 50 yds. W.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Jimmie Rodgers, the "Singing Brakeman," lived in Asheville in 1927 and launched his musical career with radio broadcasts on WWNC, whose studio stood just west of this marker. A former railroad worker, he blended blues, folk, and mountain music into a new sound that made him one of the first stars of country music. His brief career ended with his death in 1933.
Why it matters
Rodgers is widely called the "Father of Country Music," and his Asheville broadcasts mark an early step in the birth of one of America's defining musical traditions.
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Related people
- · Jimmie Rodgers
Themes & tags
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