Homer and Jethro | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jethro (left) and Homer in the late 1960s | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1936–1971 |
| Labels | King,RCA Victor |
| Past members | Henry D. Haynes (1936–1971) Kenneth C. Burns (1936–1972) Ken Eidson (1972) |
Homer and Jethro were the stage names of Americancountry music duoHenry D. "Homer" Haynes (1920–1971) andKenneth C. "Jethro" Burns (1920–1989), popular from the 1940s through the 1960s on radio and television for theirsatirical versions of popular songs.[1] Known as the Thinking Man'sHillbillies, they received aGrammy Award in 1959 and are members of theCountry Music Hall of Fame.
Haynes and Burns met in 1936 during aWNOX-AM audition inKnoxville, Tennessee, when they were both 16 years old.[2] Known as Junior and Dude (pronounced "dood'-ee"), the pair was rechristened Homer (Haynes) and Jethro (Burns) when WNOX Program DirectorLowell Blanchard forgot their nicknames during a 1936broadcast.[1] In 1939 they became regulars on theRenfro Valley Barn Dance radio program inRenfro Valley, Kentucky.[1]
Haynes and Burns were drafted into theU.S. Army during World War II but served separately; they reunited in Knoxville in 1945, and in 1947 they performed onWLW-AM'sMidwestern Hayride inCincinnati.[1] They sang exaggerated hillbilly-styled versions of pop standards as their comedic hook, with Haynes on guitar and Burns onmandolin. They originally recorded forKing Records,[1] where they also worked as session musicians backing other artists such asMoon Mullican until a dispute over song credits with label ownerSyd Nathan led Nathan to release them from the label. The duo and other stars were fired by new management at WLW in 1948, and after a brief tour, they moved toSpringfield, Missouri and performed onKWTO-AM withChet Atkins, theCarter Family andSlim Wilson.[3]
Signed toRCA Victor in 1949, the label's countryA&R manSteve Sholes suggested they switch their comedy to singing parodies of country and pop hits. Most were penned by Burns, the humorist of the pair. Their parody of "Baby It's Cold Outside", as recorded withJune Carter, became a hit.[1] 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". It led to an appearance onWLS-AM inChicago in 1950, a tour with musical satiristSpike Jones and a guest appearance on Jones's RCA Victor recording of "Pal-Yat-Chee", an opera parody. A number of successful recordings also followed. Haynes and Burns were gifted jazz players, both of them followers of the music ofDjango Reinhardt. They also served as backup musicians on a number of late 1940s and early 1950s RCA Victor recordings byChet Atkins and on many other RCA Victor country sessions in Chicago and Nashville. The Atkins recordings featuring the duo reflect their mutual admiration for Reinhardt. Atkins was married to Burns' wife's sister.
Taking a cue from other comic talents of the era, most of their humor was directed inward, towards themselves. In several notable exchanges recorded on the live albumAt the Country Club, they josh that the parade to be given by their fan club had to be canceled because one of the members was ill, and the other had to work. Indeed, from the opening introduction, byHee Haw stalwartArchie Campbell, the humor is towards them rather than at others. Campbell's intro noted, "Ladies and gentlemen, due to circumstances beyond our control, the next act showed up." At one point in the evening, Burns remarked to one of the patrons, "Hey, you walking out! Get back in here, you're no better than the rest of them." However, taking a moment to imprint their serious musical talent, they and the other members of the band perform "C-Jam Blues", to the delight of the audience. Burns was also a talented guitarist, able to replicate the hot soloing he did on mandolin on the guitar.
They won aGrammy Award for Best Comedy Performance – Musical in 1959 for "The Battle of Kookamonga", their parody ofJohnny Horton's hit "The Battle of New Orleans".[1] The majority of their recordings were similar parodies of famous old and new popular songs. One example was their treatment of the old romantic song "When You Wore aTulip" (When you wore a Tulip/A sweet yellow tulip/and I wore a big redrose). While keeping that line of the chorus intact, the duo's version of its verse told of two lovers sleeping in agreenhouse, removing their clothes due to the heat and humidity, and then having to escape when the building caught fire. To cover their nakedness, the couple wore the flowers.
In the 1960s, they also recorded a parody version ofLennon and McCartney's "I Want to Hold Your Hand".[1]
Over time, Homer and Jethro'spatter became more sophisticated, giving them access to mainstream audiences onnetwork television and inLas Vegas. On May 12, 1960, they appeared withJohnny Cash onNBC'sThe Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. In the 1960s they were hired as commercial personalities forKellogg's Corn Flakes; their "Ooh! That's corny!" television spots gave them exposure beyond country music audiences.[1]
Homer and Jethro made several appearances onThe Johnny Cash Show during the 1970–1971 season, though they were not considered regulars. During one appearance, they reprised their old hit "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with June Carter Cash as part of a skit.
Both were also established jazz musicians, who were deeply influenced by the string jazz of European gypsy-bornDjango Reinhardt. Atkins produced many of their later RCA albums including two instrumental jazz efforts:Playing It Straight andIt Ain't Necessarily Square.[1] The Reinhardt style continued to influence the duo's work until Haynes' death from a heart attack in 1971.[1] A final RCA Victor album,The Far-Out World of Homer and Jethro, followed in 1972 and the sleeve included a message from Burns playing tribute to Haynes.
After Haynes' passing, Burns tried to maintain the duo with a new "Homer", guitarist Ken Eidson, but the effort was short-lived. Burns continued recording and performing solo and with Chicagofolk singerSteve Goodman.[1] Burns died in 1989 fromprostate cancer.[1] Ken Eidson died from cancer in 1999 at age 51.
Haynes and Burns were inducted into theCountry Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
| Year | Single | Peak positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Country [4] | U.S. [5] | ||
| 1949 | "I Feel That Old Age Creeping On" | 14 | — |
| "Baby, It's Cold Outside"(withJune Carter) | 9 | 22 | |
| "Tennessee Border—No. 2" | 14 | — | |
| 1953 | "(How Much Is) That Hound Dog in the Window" | 2 | 17 |
| 1954 | "Hernando's Hideaway" | 14 | — |
| 1955 | "Sifting, Whimpering Sands"/"They Laid Him in the Ground" | — | — |
| 1959 | "The Battle of Kookamonga" | 26 | 14 |
| 1960 | "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" | — | 101 |
| 1964 | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | 49 | — |
| Year | Single | Artist | U.S. Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "Chet's Tune" | Some of Chet's Friends | 38 |
