Tom and Hettie

"Tom" Clarence Ashley was an American banjo player, guitarist and singer. Several folk revival singers in the 60s and 70s cited Tom as an influence. I used to sing several of his songs myself but not very well.

 

Clarence Ashley, known as Tom to his friends, married Hettie in 1914. He was 17 and she was 14 years old. In the Tennessee mountains where they lived it wasn’t unusual to marry young. Tom was a fine banjo player and made recordings with groups like ”The West Virginia Hotfoots”, “The Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers”, and “The Carolina Tarheels”. Tom also recorded as a solo act. The first known recording of “House of the Rising Sun” features Tom on banjo.

Read the rest of their story at Shrine of Dreams