Vernon Dalhart
Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(April 6, 1881 - September 15, 1948) Born in Jefferson, Vernon Dalhart (Marion Try Slaughter II) began his career here at Kahn Saloon, starred later in operas in New York, and recorded for Edison's talking machine. His rendition of "The Prisoner's Song" (1924) was the first folk ballad to sell over a million records, and led to the rise of country music as an American art form. Dalhart is said to have made over 3,500 records, many under assumed names. Nostalgia for Jefferson echoed in his "Caroline," "Bully of the Town," and other hits. Within ten years he earned and lost a fortune, later living in obscurity. Incise in base: Marker sponsored by the Hoblitzelle Foundation.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in Jefferson in 1881, Marion Try Slaughter II took the stage name Vernon Dalhart and rose from singing at the local Kahn Saloon to performing opera in New York and recording for Edison's talking machine. His 1924 rendition of "The Prisoner's Song" became the first folk ballad to sell more than a million records, helping launch country music as an American art form. Said to have cut over 3,500 records under many names, he earned and lost a fortune within a decade and died in obscurity in 1948.
Why it matters
Dalhart's million-selling record helped prove there was a mass audience for rural American music, making him a founding figure of the country-music industry.
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Related people
- · Vernon Dalhart
Themes & tags
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