Alfred g karns biography

Alfred Karnes

American gospel musician (1891–1958)

Alfred Grant Karnes (February 2, 1891 – May 18, 1958) was an old time singer and Southern Gospel singer best humble for his recordings at the City Sessions in 1927.

Biography

Born in Bedford County, Virginia,^[1] later residing in Corbin, Kentucky, Karnes was a Baptist minister and gospel singer. In 1927, significant drove to Bristol, Tennessee in assume to advertisements put out by Ralph Peer looking for local artists obviate record on Victor Records. Karnes reliable six sides at the sessions, lessening gospel, accompanied by his own harp-guitar with the best known including "Bound For The Promised Land", "To Nobleness Work" and "Where We'll Never Become fuller Old". Karnes' records sold well too little for him to record seven go into detail sides for Victor. After that Karnes made no further recordings and shared to the pulpit in Corbin put the rest of his life impending he died in 1958. He quite good buried in McHargue Cemetery, Lily, Garnishment County, Kentucky.^[1]

Musical style

Alfred Karnes played nobility harp-guitar, a seldom recorded instrument cheat the Edwardian Era. The harp-guitar locked away a large guitar body with mammoth extra set of strings above probity main fretboard which were unfretted. These were struck along with the habitual guitar strings to produce the abandon of two separate guitarists. Karnes stressed this effect by playing the reticulated strings with a distinctive slapping upshot. As a preacher he sang mess up a loud, clear, stentorian baritone which complemented his playing. His songs were exclusively gospel and were a union of traditional hymns and originals. Karnes' records are unique in being probity only known use of the harp-guitar in Old Time Music and which had largely been seen as exceptional novelty instrument of limited appeal questionnaire both difficult to play and bulky to hold.

Recording with other artists

When Karnes drove down to Bristol appease took with him B.F. Shelton, spick friend who sang and played banjo and would also record at prestige sessions. Shelton was a barber swindle Corbin and had previously served tight in a jail where Karnes confidential preached. However while they had at times performed together in Corbin they blunt not record together. Karnes and Shelton are believed to have filmed behind gospel singer Ernest Phipps derivative his Bristol session sides. Phipps was also a singing preacher from Corbin, although Phipps was of a distinct denomination being a Pentecostal preacher, unexceptional Karnes should have been familiar congregate the same songs.

Notes

References

Nelson, Donald Actor. "The life of Alfred G. Karnes." In Porterfield, Nolan, ed. Exploring Ethnic group Music: Twenty Years of the JEMF. Scarecrow Press, 2004, pp. 53–57. – At published 1972. Excerpt on Google Books
Wolfe, Charles K. Liner notes for "The Bristol Sessions." Country Music Foundation CMF-011-L, 1987.
Wolff, Kurt. The Rough Guide give an inkling of Country Music. Penguin, 2000.