The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

5000 series by the Artist

Larry Strong

This is not meant to be critical, but when I get depressed, I pull out a couple of Vernon's recordings which make me feel better... (when I realize that things could always be worse...)

His own childhood makes you glad you weren't him... Vernon Dalhart was born as Marion Try Slaughter the Second on April 6, 1883 in Jefferson, Texas. He was named after his grandfather, who was a notorious bully and Ku Klux Klan member. His father, Robert Slaughter, and also a bully, was a small rancher outside of Jefferson. Here Dalhart learned to ride and shoot and to play the harmonica and Jews harp. All these years, his mother's brother, Robert Castleberry, felt his sister was being mistreated and he continually quarreled with Robert Slaughter. The feud grew worse over the years and in 1893 the quarrel ended in Bob Castleberry shooting Bob Slaughter. (This may be the basis for his choice of "uplifting" ballads...)

.....and he took his name from 2 West Texas towns, Vernon and Dalhart. He was the first country music artist to sell a million records. Victor 19427. Great record and they are usually cheap and plentiful. I think he sold around 7 million of that record. My recently acquired Columbia B was found in his hometown of Jefferson. One of the coolest towns in Texas.