Skillet Lickers
One of the most popular of string bands of early country music. The original members were James Gideon Tanner (b. 6 June 1885, near Monroe, Georgia, USA, d. 1962, Winder, Georgia, USA; fiddle/vocals), Riley Puckett, Clayton McMichen (b. 26 January 1900, Allatoona, Georgia, USA, d. 3 January 1970, Battletown, Kentucky, USA; fiddle/vocals) and Fate Norris (banjo/harmonica/vocals). The members had been performing in various combinations around Atlanta before 1924 but it was in that year that Tanner (a fiddle playing chicken farmer) and the blind guitarist Puckett recorded to become Columbia's first hillbilly talent. In 1926, with McMichen and Norris they recorded for the first time as Gid Tanner And The Skillet Lickers. Over the years there were line-up variations and other important members included Lowe Stokes, Bert Layne (both outstand ing fiddlers), Hoke Rice (guitar), Gid's brother Arthur (banjo/guitar) and teenage son Gordon (fiddle). By 1931, in some combination or other, they had cut 88 sides for Columbia—all but six being released. Their material included fiddle tunes, traditional ballads and pop songs plus little comedy skits such as their noted A Corn Licker Still In Georgia. In 1934, Gid Tanner And The Skillet Lickers were credited with a million-selling record for their recording of Down Yonder (Gordon Tanner was the featured fiddler on the recording). (In 1959 pianist Del Wood also sold a million with her version of this tune.) After the Skillet Lickers disbanded in the '30s, Tanner returned to chicken farming until his death in 1962. McMichen went on to a successful career with his own band the Georgia Wildcats (which at one time included Puckett) and held the title of National Fiddling Champion from 1934-49. Gordon Tanner who later led the Junior Skillet-Lickers, died following a heart attack on 26 July 1982. Bill C. Malone suggests that ‘much of the band's popularity can be attributed to the energetic personality and showmanship of Tanner who whooped, sang in falsetto and in general played the part of the rustic fool’. McMichen is reputed to have suggested that ‘Tanner's fiddle playing was just as unrestricted and tended to detract from the overall quality of the band’. In the '80s, Tanner's grandson, Phil, led a band known as the Skillet Lickers II.