All Topics  
George S. Davis

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

George S. Davis



 
 
George S. Davis (1904 — 1992), The Singing Miner, composed and worked as a disc jockey
Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
 on local radio in Hazard, Kentucky
Hazard, Kentucky

Hazard is a city in Perry County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,264 at the 2000 United States Census. The population of the Hazard Micropolitan Statistical Area is 29,390....
 from 1947 until 1969.

s began his career about 1933, about the same time the United Mine Workers of America began organized the Coal Mines in Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Mountain Coal Fields

The Eastern Mountain Coal Fields is a region in Kentucky including more than 30 counties and parts of counties. It covers an area from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Cumberland Plateau and the Pottsville Escarpment in the west and is known for its coal mining and agriculture, although most family farms in the region have disappe...
.

Among the songs he wrote and sang were "White Shotgun," "Buggerman in the Bushes," "Coal Miner's Boogie," "When Kentucky Had No Union Men," and "Harlan County Blues." Although "Sixteen Tons
Sixteen Tons

"Sixteen Tons" is a song about the misery of coal mining, first recorded in 1946 by United States country music singer Merle Travis and released on his box set album Folk Songs of the Hills the following year....
", the song about the misery of coal mining, has generally been credited as being written in 1946 by U.S.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'George S. Davis'
Start a new discussion about 'George S. Davis'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


George S. Davis (1904 — 1992), The Singing Miner, composed and worked as a disc jockey
Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
 on local radio in Hazard, Kentucky
Hazard, Kentucky

Hazard is a city in Perry County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,264 at the 2000 United States Census. The population of the Hazard Micropolitan Statistical Area is 29,390....
 from 1947 until 1969.

Career

Davis began his career about 1933, about the same time the United Mine Workers of America began organized the Coal Mines in Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Mountain Coal Fields

The Eastern Mountain Coal Fields is a region in Kentucky including more than 30 counties and parts of counties. It covers an area from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Cumberland Plateau and the Pottsville Escarpment in the west and is known for its coal mining and agriculture, although most family farms in the region have disappe...
.

Among the songs he wrote and sang were "White Shotgun," "Buggerman in the Bushes," "Coal Miner's Boogie," "When Kentucky Had No Union Men," and "Harlan County Blues." Although "Sixteen Tons
Sixteen Tons

"Sixteen Tons" is a song about the misery of coal mining, first recorded in 1946 by United States country music singer Merle Travis and released on his box set album Folk Songs of the Hills the following year....
", the song about the misery of coal mining, has generally been credited as being written in 1946 by U.S. country singer Merle Travis
Merle Travis

Merle Robert Travis was an United States country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the exploitation of coal miners....
, who was the first to record it, Davis claimed that the Travis version was actually based on an earlier song of his called "Nine-to-ten tons" written in the 1930s. Davis' 1966 recording of his version of the song can be heard on the album George Davis: When Kentucky Had No Union Men (Folkways Records
Folkways Records

Folkways Records is a record label that documents folk and world music. It is owned by the Smithsonian Institution....
, FW02343, 1967).

Death and legacy

Davis was 88 years old when he died in 1992 in London, Kentucky
London, Kentucky

London is a city in Laurel County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,692 at the 2000 United States Census. It is the county seat of Laurel County, Kentucky....
. His D28 Martin Guitar that he played from 1947 until 1992 will be displayed in the new studios of WKIC
WKIC

WKIC is a radio station broadcasting a Soft Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Hazard, Kentucky, USA. The station is currently owned by Mountain Broadcasting Service, Inc....
 and WSGS
WSGS

WSGS is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Hazard, Kentucky, USA. The station is currently owned by Mountain Broadcasting Service, Inc....
 on Main Street in Hazard.

External links

  • wsgs.com