Uncle Dave Macon & his son Dorris

[deanhamilton]

How was that sounds coming outta the Banjo when he was not playing? Hmmmm????

[preshead]

@deanhamilton The music was most likely dubbed over the video. One that old probably wouldn't have as presentable quality as it does here if it wasn't touched up like that.

[ratherknotty]

Youtube continues to amaze me! Things that we might think have been lost turn up on you tube. This is one of them. What a gem!!!!!!

[ulrichpetzinna]

Hee Haw it`s hillbilly!

[bluefukingreene]

this man is a .....sorry for cursing....the baddest mother,hey shut yo mouth,im just talkin about uncle dave...ive heard about 60 of his tunes thus far...i descovered him about 3 weeks ago....holy shit this man is great...not was...but is...the music lives....i play in a metal band by the way...great music touches me...ive been a musician for 25 years plus...i keep finding great artists from the past...uncle dave is king.

[MrCallipygous]

Dorris Macon (1910-1982) continued to make occasional Grand Ol Opry appearances right on into the 80's.

[MrOutlawCountry]

One of the best pieces of footage I have seen. Just absolutely legendary.

[wichitatrainwhistle]

This is great. Uncle Dave was obviously a real entertainer - and his son looks as if he has forgiven him for naming him Dorris.

[TheJoshwallace]

He was the last living link between cowboys era and the modern one.

[Banjomountain]

@TheJoshwallace Very True! He was born in 1870 and died in 1952. Think of how much everyday life changed during his lifetime. Uncle Dave learned most of his tunes when he was young, so that would've been in the 1880s & 1890s.

[justfukoff88]

@TheJoshwallace Don't forget Dock Boggs man, he was a true all night rounder

[roosterwolf]

what film is this from?

[Donkey9900]

It may have been mentioned  in previous comments, but Stringbean pretty much learned his style & routine from UDM, who was warned, "Watch it Dave, that young guy's gonna steal your stuff." & then Dave caught String imitating him as he performed, & turned around & snorted, "Oh hell." (from a Bluegrass Unlimited article on Stringbean from the early 1980's)

[IGOROZKARSKY]

HE TAUGHT EARNEST SCRUGGS EVERYTHING HE KNOWS.

[IGOROZKARSKY]

(Take-a me back to) MY OLE CAR´LINA HOME

[IGOROZKARSKY]

I JUST LAUGH & LOVE HIM WHEN HE SWINGS

THAT BANJER & DOES THEM THAR DANCE-STEPS !

[wesisdadon]

DOES anyone know the full lyrics to this wonderful old time tune

i would love to be correct when im always singing this song ... as i am from nc

[breathholdchamp]

UDM is so awesome ! I have lots of his ol 78 rpm records recorded in acoustic....... amazing and what a character:):):):):):) he was 70 when he did this :):):):):

[crazycaleb92]

that be fantastic if his recordings had better sound quality. this guy is awsome

[ajweberman]

Uncle Dave Macon rules

[ganjaganja879]

that awesome how he keeps strumming when he's doing his antics

[danbolub]

udm,.. i was adDIICTED the 1st. time i heard him play because of his unique style, orneryness, talent, showmanship and honesty.e straight from the heart and original

and would offer play 3 different styles in the same tune

wish i c coulda met the man

guess he ocaasionally suffered bouts of depression and drank a little

his tunes ar

[breathholdchamp]

@richardcwood1 This is a clip from the 1940 Grand Ol' Opry George D Hay is in it quite a bit as well as uncle Dave

[heinzdziurowitz]

Uncle Dave was a true entertainer. He had a good time and that is all that counts.

[simonne234]

@richardcwood1 your lucky that you grew up with this music.........

[surfr009]

in the pooper

[hawkhubbard]

Uncle Dave Macon allways reminded me of Frank Morgan as Professor Marvel in

Thw Wizard of OZ ;) Only better

[Fozzymaple]

Is it just me or did Bob Dylan steal the melody from this (Take Me Back to my Old Carolina Home) for his song, I Shall Be Free?

[nolanpotter1]

@Fozzymaple folk music is folk music. most folk bands dont write much material. alot of em take traditional folk songs and write new lyrics for em. so,,, he probably did

[Fozzymaple]

@nolanpotter1 Being a folk musician myself, I know there's not much difference between sharing and stealing, as a matter of fact in folk music, they mean almost the same thing.

[banjochris]

@Fozzymaple Dylan's song is just updated words to an old slave song called "You Shall" or "We Shall Be Free" -- there are recordings of it by Frank Stokes, Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly, just to name a few. I would be willing to bet, based on the words Dylan sings, that he got it from Guthrie. The melodies of "You Shall" and "Carolina" are very similar, and probably whoever wrote "Carolina" lifted part of it from "You Shall."

[spillitquikkers]

Hot dog! If it weren't for Uncle Dave, I wouldn't have started pickin' the ol' five-string. Thank you for sharing this rare gem.

[drybonesband]

Most excellent! Thanks so much for posting this. Man I got to learn to dance like that --

[quicklady]

good find, good post, i think im the only one miles around who even knows of uncle dave and to see the video to put with the voice is priceless.

[rockinredneck57]

Thank God for Uncle Dave and these old videos. Also, for Leroy Troy who is faithfully keeping this music and Uncle Dave's banjo tricks alive and well!

[betterthanbrad]

Great video. Where on earth does this stuff come from? I once saw another clip of Uncle Dave on our SBS channel as a filler between programs. I just caught the end of it and can't remember the song, but he was just sitting in a chair in the open somewhere. Could someone find out what it was and show it here please?

[gunsrme1]

He remindes me of a singing WC Fields. Great video!

[kowalski37]

Excellent stuff - I would have loved to have seen this guy live.

[colindominy]

Fabulous footage !! We need as much of this priceless film stock as is available to be released to the wider public .. re these wonderful old-time legends in action. Uncle Dave is a marvel .. what a character. I can also now see where later performers such as Stringbean, for instance, got some of their inspiration & on-stage performing routines from.

[whiskeyrox1]

Thanks for posting a great great vid and song... adding to my favs..

[DanNPitts]

This video is absolutely priceless.

[sheboggie]

My father once saw Uncle Dave perform at country school house. Admission was, (I think!) a quarter, and Uncle Dave collected it himself at the door. My eighth grade teacher knew Uncle Dave well. Uncle Dave was a marvelous entertainer, and a great storyteller with a mischievous and sometimes rather risque sense of humor. Seeing him perform live was a real hoot according to those who did!

[c200516]

I love this video and I am also related to Uncle Dave Macon.

[PaganRule]

Priceless! Thanks a lot!!

[mytubenow11]

You don't know how grateful I am to you for posting this. I had looked for this song for a long time to no avail and there were no videos here of Uncle Dave.

[ELIAXTRO]

Happy Birthday Uncle Davey

[mabaw]

great music great man

[hambonecharliejohnso]

a true great

[Gunnarsguns]

Americas first elvis

[Rcksaltnnails]

@Gunnarsguns

HA, Elvis was the 2nd Uncle Dave Macon!!!!

[yenbadcito]

@Gunnarsguns americas first hendrix

[TheLittleJohnny]

God Bless Uncle Dave...

[hankjr33]

does anyone else have any clips of uncle dave besides theses, i hope there is more, i love old time music

[dagwood387]

I think this film footage of him from the film "Grand Ole opry" is all that exists. it's a shame that such a well-known performer was not filmed at all besides this!

[EliasCrowe]

Amen to that.

[BradNC11175]

I don't think there is anymore of Uncle Dave. I could be wrong but I think he died not long after this film was taken in the early 50s. I wished there was a pile of Uncle Dave's stuff but I don't believe there is. But what film there is is about as precious as gold if you ask me.

[breathholdchamp]

this film was from 1940. He died in 1952 but it is the only film footage of him He was fantastic

[BradNC11175]

Wasn't he part of some Grand Ole Opre thing right before he died? Oh well, either way your right about the fantastic part, awsome showman and musician. Any audio or video footage is true gold and almost like a musical history lesson. Thats as close as your gonna get in terms of recorded music to the old 1800s traveling medicine man performers.

[breathholdchamp]

he was on the Grand Ol Opry from 1926 till he died in 1952. He played up to a week before he died at age 81. He was fantastic, I have a lot of his records.

[BradNC11175]

Clearly you have me beat on Uncle Dave trivia and I would imagine most others as well considering most these days never heard of him. God bless Uncle Dave and may he RIP!

[troynov1965]

great video!!! i love uncle dave macon , where did you get that clip from?

[BradNC11175]

I think thats from the Grand Ole Opre. I know he was a part of the very first filmed Grand Ole Opre and I believe the stuff from that is the only filmed footage of him.

[breathholdchamp]

Uncle Dave was the Grand Ole Opry's first star and he was on it from 1926 till he died in 1952. They made this movie in 1940.

[hankjr33]

ya jnizny ya dorris was in the fruit jar drinkers but u cant find him much in other videos, its hard to find and rare between, but him and uncle dave was hard to beat, great song, keep old time music going

[jnizny]

now dorris macon was also one of the "fruit jar drinkers" Type that in youtube and see footage of him in the 50's.

[skunkamaug]

Great!!!

[CultureBat]

That guy handles a banjo like a monkey handles a peanut.

[spearoflight]

i agree, he's great.

[bluegrasscannuk]

Now this cut may seem a little " hokey" to some these days - but anyone can clearly see what a great entertainer ol' Uncle Dave must have been. I would love to have been around to see him live and in person. Any footage like this are real gems. Too bad there isn't more of it.

Thanks for posting it.

[TennesseeShine]

I remember my parents talking about Uncle Dave Macon when I was a kid in the 1950s. They went on and on about what a great performer and comedian he was back in the 1930s. Now I see why! One of their favorites by him was "The Arkansas Misery." It seems to be a variant of the classic "Arkansas Traveler" but uses a different tune. I picked up a CD of Uncle Dave's greatest hits some time ago. However, I sure wish there was more film of him.

[bluegrasscannuk]

Thanks for your reply Tennessee.

from a Canadian Macon fan.

[breathholdchamp]

Uncle Dave is awesome!

[TraeBuckner]

As far as video footage of Ol' Uncle Dave Macon goes, this is one of the rare gems!! Not a whole lot out there.. Thanks for posting! Dave Macon, Stringbean and Grandpa Jones are my heroes!!

[jumpoffmountaineers]

THANK YOU

[johnnymccrowe]

great footage, anyone know what its originaly from

[Dannys998877]

This is footage from the movie "Grand Ole Opry" released by Republic Pictures in 1940. Its cast included then current Opry stars Uncle Dave Macon with his son Dorris, and the Opry's newest star Roy Acuff (looking as young as a teenager.)

[Ridger1978]

A movie called "Grand Ole Opry" from 1940. I have it on VHS, but haven't transferred it yet

[saullouis]

About a million years ago I heard uncle Dave introduce a song by saying "The worst thing in the world is a man without a woman. But of all the things Id rather not be, its a woman without a man."

Im still laughing. He was one old condger if ever there was one.

[moosehunterr]

lovely,tks folks.

[prless1918]

What ever happened to Dorris?

[CrankyOldster]

Roots music so old it feels new. The first time I heard Uncle Dave sing "Don't she rock, daddy-o?" on Sail Away Ladies, I couldn't believe it. People were saying that all those decades ago? The old timers gave us more than we know.

[banjodan99]

Reminds me of an early Bob Dylan, but I can't put my finger on which one.

[oldnrone]

Great!

[TennesseeShine]

Ol' Uncle Dave was quite the ham and entertainer! I remember my parents talking a lot about his antics and especially his song "Arkansas Misery."