Homer and Jethro

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Homer and Jethro
Jethro (left) and Homer in the late 1960s
Jethro (left) and Homer in the late 1960s
Background information
OriginKnoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Years active1936–1971
Labels
Kenneth C. Burns
(1936–1972)
Ken Eidson (1972)

Homer and Jethro were the stage names of American

Country Music Hall of Fame
.

History

Early years

Haynes and Burns met in 1936 during a

broadcast.[1] In 1939 they became regulars on the Renfro Valley Barn Dance radio program in Renfro Valley, Kentucky.[1]

Haynes and Burns were drafted into the

KWTO-AM with Chet Atkins, the Carter Family and Slim Wilson.[3]

Song satirists

Signed to

June Carter, became a hit.[1] The song's composer, Frank Loesser, gave them permission to parody the tune with the condition that the label read, "With apologies to Frank Loesser". It led to an appearance on WLS-AM in Chicago in 1950, a tour with musical satirist Spike Jones and an uncredited appearance on Jones's RCA Victor recording of Pal-Yat-Chee, an opera parody. A number of successful recordings also followed. Haynes and Burns were gifted jazz players, both of them followers of the music of Django Reinhardt. They also served as backup musicians on a number of late 1940s and early 1950s RCA Victor recordings by Chet Atkins
and on many other RCA Victor country sessions in Chicago and Nashville. The Atkins recordings featuring the duo reflect their mutual admiration for Reinhardt. Atkins was married to Burns' wife's sister.

Taking a cue from other comic talents of the era, most of their humor was directed inward, towards themselves. In several notable exchanges recorded on the live album At the Country Club, they josh that the parade to be given by their fan club had to be canceled because one of the members was ill, and the other had to work. Indeed, from the opening introduction, by

C-Jam Blues
", to the delight of the audience. Burns was also a talented guitarist, able to replicate the hot soloing he did on mandolin on the guitar.

They won a

The Battle of New Orleans".[1] The majority of their recordings were similar parodies of famous old and new popular songs. One example was their treatment of the old romantic song "When You Wore a Tulip" (When you wore a Tulip/A sweet yellow tulip/and I wore a big red rose). While keeping that line of the chorus intact, the duo's version of its verse told of two lovers sleeping in a greenhouse
, removing their clothes due to the heat and humidity, and then having to escape when the building caught fire. To cover their nakedness, the couple wore the flowers.

In the 1960s, they also recorded a parody version of

Lennon and McCartney's "I Want to Hold Your Hand".[1]

Later years

Over time, Homer and Jethro's

Kellogg's Corn Flakes; their "Ooh! That's corny!" television spots gave them exposure beyond country music audiences.[1]

Homer and Jethro made several appearances on The Johnny Cash Show during the 1970–1971 season, though they were not considered regulars. During one appearance, they reprised their old hit "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with June Carter Cash as part of a skit.

Both were also established jazz musicians, who were deeply influenced by the string jazz of European gypsy-born Django Reinhardt. Atkins produced many of their later RCA albums including two instrumental jazz efforts: Playing It Straight and It Ain't Necessarily Square.[1] The Reinhardt style continued to influence the duo's work until Haynes' death from a heart attack in 1971.[1] A final RCA Victor album, The Far-Out World of Homer and Jethro, followed in 1972 and the sleeve included a message from Burns playing tribute to Haynes.

After Haynes' passing, Burns tried to maintain the duo with a new "Homer", guitarist Ken Eidson, but the effort was short-lived. Burns continued recording and performing solo and with Chicago

folk singer Steve Goodman.[1] Burns died in 1989 from prostate cancer.[1]
Ken Eidson died from cancer in 1999 at age 51.

Haynes and Burns were inducted into the

Country Music Hall of Fame
in 2001.

Album discography

with the Nashville String Band

Singles

Year Single Peak positions
U.S. Country
[4] 		U.S.
[5]
1949 "I Feel That Old Age Creeping On" 14 —
"Baby, It's Cold Outside" (with June Carter) 9 22
"Tennessee Border—No. 2" 14 —
1953 "(How Much Is) That Hound Dog in the Window" 2 17
1954 "Hernando's Hideaway" 14 —
1955 "Sifting, Whimpering Sands"/"They Laid Him in the Ground" — —
1959 "The Battle of Kookamonga" 26 14
1960 "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" — 101
1964 "I Want to Hold Your Hand" 49 —

Guest singles

Year Single Artist U.S. Country
1967 "Chet's Tune" Some of Chet's Friends 38

Notes

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-85227-745-9
    .
  2. ^ "Homer and Jethro". Country Music Hall of Fame. 2001. Archived from the original on January 4, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
  3. ISBN 0-312-26487-9
    ..
  4. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2
    .
  5. ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8
    .

References

External links