Título: Roy Acuff
Seção: Grand Ole Opry
Background: Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 - November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music," Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful. In 1952 Hank Williams told Ralph Gleason, "He's the biggest singer this music ever knew. You booked him and you didn't worry about crowds.

Conteúdo: In 1938, the Crazy Tennesseans moved to Nashville to audition for the Grand Ole Opry. Although their first audition went poorly, the band's second audition impressed Opry founder George D. Hay and producer Harry Stone, and they offered the group a contract later that year. On Hay and Stone's suggestion, Acuff changed the group's name to the Smoky Mountain Boys, referring to the mountains near where he and his bandmates grew up. Shortly after the band joined the Opry, Clell Summey left the group and was replaced by the dobro player Beecher (Pete) Kirby--best known by his stage name Bashful Brother Oswald--whom Acuff had met in a Knoxville bakery earlier that year. Acuff's powerful lead vocals and Kirby's dobro playing and high-pitched backing vocals gave the band its distinctive sound. By 1939, Jess Easterday had switched to bass to replace Red Jones, and Acuff had added the guitarist Lonnie "Pap" Wilson and the banjoist Rachel Veach to fill out the band's lineup. Within a year, Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys rivaled the long-time Opry banjoist Uncle Dave Macon as the troupe's most popular act. In spring 1940, Acuff and his band traveled to Hollywood, where they appeared with Hay and Macon in the motion picture Grand Ole Opry. Acuff appeared in several subsequent B-movies, including O, My Darling Clementine (1943), in which he played a singing sheriff; Night Train to Memphis (1946), the title of which comes from a song Acuff recorded in 1940; and Home in San Antone (194

user: Did Roy perform at the Grand Ole Opry?

assistant: the band's second audition impressed Opry founder George D. Hay and producer Harry Stone, and they offered the group a contract later that year.

user: Who are the Crazy Tennesseans?

assistant: Acuff changed the group's name to the Smoky Mountain Boys,

user: Did Roy perform with the Crazy Tennesseans?

assistant: Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys rivaled the long-time Opry banjoist Uncle Dave Macon as the troupe's most popular act.

user: Who are the members of the band?

assistant: Jess Easterday had switched to bass to replace Red Jones, and Acuff had added the guitarist Lonnie "Pap" Wilson

user: Are the Smokey Mountain Boys successful?

assistant: The crowds at these shows were so large that roads leading into the venues were jammed with traffic for miles.

user: Where did they play at?

assistant: Acuff and his band traveled to Hollywood, where they appeared with Hay and Macon

user: Did they produce any records?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: What songs did they play?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: Did they win any awards?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: What instrument did Acuff play?

assistant: lead vocals