Country Legends: The Carter Family

The Carter Family are often called the most influential group in country music history, and with good reason.

The Carter Family

Formed in the 1920’s and made up of AP Carter, his wife Sara and sister-in-law Maybelle, the Carter Family began recording folk/country music in 1927 and quickly became the first ‘country music stars’.

The style of music they used was to have a profound impact on bluegrass, country, gospel, pop and rock musicians, as well as the folk revival that took place in the1960’s.

In addition to the many songs they wrote, and just as important to the future influence they achieved, was Maybelle’s guitar playing. It was to become known as ‘Carter Picking’ or ‘Carter Scratch’ and she developed the method that has been used by most guitar players ever since.  

Although the original Carter Family group disbanded in 1936 after AP and Sara’s marriage dissolved, the name lived on through Maybelle. With her daughters Anita, June and Helen, and billed as "Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters”, they continued recording right into the 1970s.

The Carter Family’s recordings of such songs as "Wabash Cannonball", "Will the Circle Be Unbroken", "Wildwood Flower" and "Keep on the Sunny Side" made them country standards. Many of their songs were later covered by other artists with great success.

For example, on her early Vanguard albums, folk performer Joan Baez sang "Wildwood Flower", "Little Moses", "Engine 143", "Little Darling, Pal of Mine", and "Gospel Ship", and a young Bob Dylan took their ‘Wayworn Traveller’ song, wrote his own words to their melody, changed the time signature to ¾ and created ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’.

 Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970, The Carters were given the nickname "The First Family of Country Music". In 1988, they were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and received its Award for the song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken".

To search for The Carter Family music, or any of your favourite country stars, just enter their name in the search box to the right or go to my website at www.countrysongscountrysingers.com