Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Tony Alderman Country Music Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0211
Creators:
Alderman, Alonzo (Tony) Elvis, 1900-1983 (musician)
Dates:
1927-1983
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4 Cubic feet
5 boxes
Repository:
Alonzo Elvis "Tony" Alderman played country music with the Galax Dixie Concert Band and The Hill Billies. During the 1950s through 1970s he recorded old-time and early country music, primarily at festivals and conventions. Alderman recorded many of the open-reel audiotapes in the collection at the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection is divided into two series. Series one contains 98 1/4" open reel audiotapes primarily of the Galax Fiddler's Convention (1959-1963) made by Tony Alderman and three audio disc recordings. Series two contains manuscript materials including bills and receipts, correspondence, sheet music, newspaper clippings, performance announcements, and publications.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is organized into two series.
Series 1, Audiovisual, 1950-circa 1970
Series 2, Manuscript Materials, 1927-1976

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Alonzo Elvis "Tony" Alderman, (1900-1983) was introduced to old-time music at an early age by his relatives in Galax, Virginia. Alderman learned to play trumpet, French horn, and, inspired by Earnest "Pop" Stoneman, the country fiddle. He first performed publicly with the Galax Dixie Concert (brass)Band.
In the late spring of 1924, he formed a group with John Rector, Al Hopkins, and Joe Hopkins. Rector convinced the band to record a record. Unfortunately, due to technical problems the recording session was unsuccessful.
Undaunted, the quartet travelled to OKeh Studios in January of 1925 where they recorded six songs under the supervision of Ralph Peer. When Peer asked the band's name Al Hopkins replied, "We're nothing but a bunch of hill billies from North Carolina and Virginia. Call us anything." Reportedly Inspired by his reply, Peer named the group "The Hill Billies."
"The Hill Billies" released their first record in February 1925. In May of that year while performing at a fiddler's convention sponsored by the Ku Klux Klan in Montana, Tennesee, they recruited Charlie Bowman from Gray Station, Tennessee to join them. Later that year 'The Hill Billies' left OKeh and joined the Combined Vocalion Brunswick Company to work with artist and repertoire man Jim O'Keefe. On the Vocalion label the band's name remained the same, but on the Brunswick label it changed to "Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters."
For the next several years, the "Pine Hill Billies" performed across the country, made several more records, and broadcast on WRC radio in Washington, D.C. After the group disbanded in 1932,Tony Alderman moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an x-ray technician, as well as an investor, and he experimented with aerial photography.
In 1970, Alderman retired to Golden Beach in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He joined the "Over the Hill Gang" and played at local celebrations, including solos for the National Council for Traditional Arts festivals, the Smithsonian Institution's Festival of American Folklife, and various holiday celebrations held by the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History.

Administration

Author
NMAH Staff
Custodial History
This collection was originally acquired by the Division of Performing Arts and was transferred to the Archives Center in 1986.
Processing Information
Collection processed by NMAH Staff, 2003 and Wendy Shay, audiovisual archivist, 2016.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Tony Alderman Country Music Collection, 1927-1976, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Only reference copies of the audiotapes and audio discs may be used.

Related Materials
University of North Carolina. Southern Folklife Collection
Letter. Tony Alderman to Archie Green, 1961. Archie Green Collection (#20002).

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Country music Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence -- 1930-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Music -- Performance Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musical saw music Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musicians Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Papers Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sheet music Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Musical Instruments Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Community Life Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stoneman, Ernest V. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hill Billies (Musical group) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Old Fiddlers' Convention Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu