Sunday 9 May 2021

Big Slim The Lone Cowboy born 9 May 1901


Big Slim, The Lone Cowboy (May 9, 1901 - October 13, 1966) was an important contributor to country music, with a strong, deep singing voice. He was a good representation of the Cowboy Singer/Entertainer that was popular in the 40s and 50s --their singing was augmented with horse and gun tricks --in Slim's case it was his skill with a bullwhip that contributed to his popularity. A big talent, but nowadays his is undeservedly forgotten. 

Born Harry Clarence McAuliffe, possibly near Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia, The year of his birth remains obscure, due to what has been politely described as ‘his own capacity for contradictory statements’. Big Slim claimed that his birth year was between 1899 and 1905, although 1901 is on his grave stone. 

He also claimed that he was born on a 750-acre farm but on other occasions said it was Bluefield, and there have even been claims that he was born in Pennsylvania. He may well have, as he always claimed, worked both as a cowboy and on the railroad, before gaining radio work in Pittsburgh in 1929. 

He certainly had considerable skill with horses, which he later used to great effect in his stage act. It has also been alleged that he worked on the border radio station at Eagle Pass, Texas. On 17 December 1936, in New York, as Big Slim Aliff and with only his own guitar, he recorded four sides for Decca Records, including the first recording of ‘Footprints In The Snow’, a song that is now a country standard. In 1937, he joined WWVA, first as a member of Doc Williams’ band but he soon became one of the Wheeling Jamboree’s most loved stars. 


                             

Although, on occasions, he made some appearances on other stations, he spent most of his career at WWVA and never made the big time outside his home state. He possessed a strong deep voice and his renditions of western songs, such as ‘Strawberry Roan’ and ‘Patanio, The Pride Of The Plains’, endeared him to radio listeners and live audiences alike. Along with his horse, Golden Flash, Slim’s skill with a bullwhip was part of his stage act.

Big Slim with Toby Stroud & Johnnie Hill
as The Happy Ranch Gang from the Wheeling Jamboree

He had many aliases and variations of his name over the years, such as Big Slim, Big Slim Ailiff, Big Slim Aliff, Big Slim Mac Aulife, Big Slim of WWVA and Slim McAuliffe. 

He copyrighted some songs including ‘On the Sunny Side of the Mountain’, although some of his claims for authorship have been disputed. In the late 40s, he made recordings for Dixie and Page and some years later, he had three albums released by the Canadian Arc label. 

Surrounded by what was no doubt his own carefully spun mixture of fact and fiction, he was an important contributor to country music, not only through his personal input but certainly for the fact that both Hank Snow and Hawkshaw Hawkins owed a great deal to Big Slim for his help in the early stages of their careers. 

Snow relates a considerable amount of information about their association in his autobiography. Big Slim married Beatrice Benard Reinbeau and had a son Kenneth G. Aliff  (1955 – 2016). Big Slim died on13 October 1966, New York, USA and is buried at Wheeling, West Virginia.

 (Edited from mainly AllMusic with snippets from numerous sources) 

14 comments:

boppinbob said...

I found two of Big Slim’s three ARC albums The one I can’t find is “Big Slim The Lone Cowboy With The Blue Valley Boys - On Tour With Big Slim" (1964)

So for “Big Slim 'The Lone Cowboy' (1961) & “ Old Favourites” (1962) go here:

https://www.upload.ee/files/13127208/Big_Slim___The_Lone_Cowboy.rar.html

1. Sunny Side of the Mountain 2:59
2. Put Me in Your Pocket 2:48
3. Where the Old Red River Flows 2:39
4. Wondering 2:00
5. Thought I Heard You Call My Name 2:52
6. Release Me 3:04
7. Patanio 3:00
8. Golden River 2:52
9. Speckled Bird No. 4 3:15
10. Rainbow's End 2:52
11. Tragic Romance 3:06
12. Over the Hill 2:15
13. Little Joe 4:37
14. Go Down to the Graveyard 3:30
15. Pink Party Dress 4:03
16. Footprints in the Snow 2:28
17. Blue Velvet Band 2:35
18. Little Blossom 4:02
19. Old Rover 4:48
20. Cowboy Dance 2:58
21. Don't Blame the Children 3:24
22. Will You Love Me When I'm Old 3:00

Jacdaw said...

Thanks for this, Bob. Very listenable.

newnativemark said...

Very cool! Thank you for this.

Mark

Fred said...

Hi Bob,

Here's the missing ARC record which I got from Lonesome Lefty many years ago. Link is good for seven days. Thanks for a great blog. Best wishes and stay safe.

https://we.tl/t-houTsh5cIt

boppinbob said...

A very big thanks to Fred for coming to the rescue.

Here’s “Big Slim The Lone Cowboy With The Blue Valley Boys
- On Tour With Big Slim" Arc 583” (1964) And a big thanks to Lonesome lefty for original post.

https://www.upload.ee/files/13128057/Big_Slim_-_On_tour__1964_.rar.html

01-Rainbow at Midnight
02-Letter Edged in Black
03-Billy Veneero
04-Old Shep
05-Mother Queen of My Heart
06-Oklahoma Hills
07-Little Old Rag Doll
08-Never Say Goodbye
09-Weary River
10-When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold

Glenn Eric said...

https://glennscountrymusiccabinet.blogspot.com/2021/04/big-slim-lone-cowboy-sunny-side-of.html

Here's the Old Homestead Records album of some of his early stuff I posted on my blog, for those interested.

Thanks for this post.

boppinbob said...

Thanks Glenn. Dear Music Lovers please give Glenn's blog a visit especially "newnativemark" who loves the old country artists.

newnativemark said...

Thanks, Bob! Already gave it a visit and will make it a regular stop!

Mark

Arialash said...

Boppinbob, can you give me a hand. My mama and me were going through her grandma's family photos and we found a good bit of stuff from big slim to her but we're having trouble figuring out why? My mama is in her 70s and we would like to know some family history.

boppinbob said...

Hello Arialash, Sorry can't help you there. All my information about Slim was from the web. Searching your own family history can be a bit of a chore so you may want some professional help. Or if possible try and contact contact any of Big Slims family. I know that he only had a son who has sadly passed, but I don't know if he had any grandchildren that might be able to help..

Arialash said...

I thank you very much anyway ☺️.

Roneisha said...

Big Slim had 3 other children not mentioned here. Junior, Phyllis and Roy. Roy was my grandfather so that would make Big Slim my great grandfather. Junior (Uncle Bill) still resides in NY to my knowledge

Roneisha said...

http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=10139

boppinbob said...

Thanks for the extra information Roneisha. Regards, Bob.