Clarence Ashley

Overview
Clarence Ashley was a Guitar, Banjo, Trombone, and Fiddle player.

Biography
Clarence "Tom" Earl McCurry (changed last name to Ashley) was born on September 29, 1895 in Shouns, Tennessee. In the early years of his career, he played in Medicine Shows. He was in many different groups throughout most of his career including: The Carolina Tar Heels, The Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers, Byrd Moore And The Hot Shots, and Ashley's Melody Men. He has made recordings with: Victor, Vocalion, Conqueror, Banner, Columbia, Folkways, and Vanguard. After the depression he stopped recording, and in the mid-1940's he had gotten a hand injury that prevented him from playing the banjo. His Second Career started in 1960, when Ralph Rinzler found him at the Union Grove Fiddler's Convention. He got a new deal with Folkways after this introduction and continued to make music until his death on June 2, 1967.

Albums Featured

 * The Anthology Of American Folk Music
 * Songcatcher II
 * Greenback Dollar (1929-1933)
 * Before The Blues, Vol. 3
 * Old Time Music at Newport
 * The Original Folkways Recordings 1960-1962
 * Clarence Ashley And Tex Isley
 * Smithsonian Folkways American Roots Collection
 * Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus
 * Classic Southern Gospel from Smithsonian Folkways
 * People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, 1913-1938
 * Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
 * Classic Old-Time Music
 * Old Time Mountain Banjo
 * Friends Of Old Time Music: The Folk Arrival
 * Mountain Blues
 * Country Road
 * Harmonica Masters
 * Galax, Virginia Old Time Fiddlers Convention
 * Old Time Mountain Ballads
 * The Rose Grew Round The Briar
 * Across The Tracks
 * Friends Of Old Time Music
 * White Country Blues
 * Ragtime 

Original Discography

 * Dark Holler Blues
 * Little Sadie
 * Naomi Wise
 * The Coo Coo Bird
 * Old John Hardy
 * The House Carpenter
 * Drunk Man Blues
 * Haunted Road Blues
 * My Sweet Farm Girl
 * Over At Tom's House
 * The Fiddler's Contest