Homer and Jethro

Homer and Jethro were an American country music team with a long career from the 1940s through the 1960s, sometimes known as "the thinking man's hillbillies", specializing in comedy records and satirical versions of popular songs.

Related Topics:
American - Country music - Hillbillies - Comedy - Records - Satirical

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Guitarist Henry D. "Homer" Haynes and mandolin player Kenneth C. "Jethro" Burns were both born around Knoxville, Tennessee in 1920, and met on a radio audition when they were 12 years old. Previously known as 'Junior' and 'Dude', they were mis-introduced during a 1936 broadcast and adopted the names Homer and Jethro.

Related Topics:
Guitarist - Henry D. "Homer" Haynes - Mandolin - Kenneth C. "Jethro" Burns - Knoxville, Tennessee - 1920 - Radio - 1936 - Broadcast

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Signed to the RCA Victor label in 1949, their parody of "Baby It's Cold Outside", recorded with June Carter, became a hit. The song's composer Frank Loesser gave them permission to parody the tune with the condition that the label read, "With apologies to Frank Loesser". This lead to a spot on WLS radio in Chicago in 1950, a tour with bandleader Spike Jones, a 1959 Grammy for "The Battle of Kookamonga", and a number of successful albums. Over time their patter became more sophisticated, giving them access to mainstream audiences on network television and in Las Vegas.

Related Topics:
RCA Victor - June Carter - Frank Loesser - WLS - Chicago - Spike Jones - Las Vegas

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Homer and Jethro were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985. Jethro's brother-in-law was guitarist and producer Chet Atkins. Haynes died in 1971, Burns in 1989.

Related Topics:
Country Music Hall of Fame - Chet Atkins

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