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The Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s. They were the first vocal group to become country music stars. Their recordings of songs such as "Wabash Cannonball", "Can the Circle Be Unbroken", "Wildwood Flower", "Keep On the Sunny Side" and "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" made them country standards. The latter's tune was used for Roy Acuff's "The Great Speckled Bird", Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life" and Kitty Wells' "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", making the song a hit all over again in other incarnations.
The original group consisted of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter (1891–1960), his wife Sara Dougherty Carter (1898–1979), and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter (1909–1978). Maybelle was married to A.P.'s brother Ezra (Eck) Carter, and was also Sara's first cousin. All three were born and raised in southwestern Virginia, where they were immersed in the tight harmonies of mountain gospel music and shape note singing.
Throughout the group's career, Sara Carter sang lead vocals; Maybelle sang harmony and accompanied the group instrumentally; on some songs A.P. did not perform at all but at times sang harmony and background vocals and, once in a while, lead vocal. Maybelle's distinctive guitar playing style became a hallmark of the group.
The Carter Family made their first recordings on August 1, 1927. A.P. had persuaded Sara and Maybelle the day before to make the journey from Maces Spring, Virginia, to Bristol, Tennessee, to audition for record producer Ralph Peer, who was seeking new talents for the relatively embryonic recording industry
In the winter of 1938–39, the Carter Family traveled to Texas, where they had a twice-daily program on the border radio station XERA (later XERF) in Villa Acuña (now Ciudad Acuña, Mexico), across the border from Del Rio, Texas. In the 1939–40 season, the children of A.P. and Sara (Janette Carter, Joe Carter) and those of Maybelle (Helen Carter, June Carter, Anita Carter) joined the group for radio performances, now in San Antonio, Texas, where the programs were prerecorded and distributed to multiple border radio stations. (The children did not perform however on the group's records). In the fall of 1942, the Carters moved their program to WBT radio in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a one-year contract. They occupied the sunrise slot, with the program airing between 5:15 and 6:15 a.m.
By 1936, A.P. and Sara's marriage had dissolved. Sara married A.P.'s cousin, moved to California, and the group disbanded in 1944.
Maybelle continued to perform with her daughters, Anita, June, and Helen, as "The Carter Sisters" (sometimes billed as "Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters" or "Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters"). Chet Atkins joined them playing electric guitar in 1949 until leaving in 1950. A.P., Sara, and their children Joe and Janette recorded some material in the 1950s. The Carter Sisters reclaimed the name "the Carter Family" for their act during the 1960s and 1970s. Maybelle and Sara briefly reunited, recorded a reunion album, and toured in the 1960s during the height of folk music's popularity
Carter Family personnel (1927–1939)
A.P. Carter – vocals
Maybelle Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Sara Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
(1939–1940)
A.P. Carter – vocals
Maybelle Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Sara Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Janette Carter – vocals
Joe Carter – vocals
Helen Carter – vocals
June Carter – vocals
Anita Carter – vocals
(1940–1944)
A.P. Carter – vocals
Maybelle Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Sara Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
(1944–1969)
Maybelle Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Helen Carter – vocals, accordion, guitar
June Carter – vocals, autoharp, guitar
Anita Carter – vocals, bass
(1969–1971)
(Robbie Harden would join temporarily in 1969 replacing June Carter)
Maybelle Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Helen Carter – vocals, guitar
Anita Carter – vocals, guitar
Robbie Harden – vocals
(1971–1978)
Maybelle Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Helen Carter – vocals, guitar
June Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
Anita Carter – vocals, guitar
(1978–1996)
Helen Carter – vocals, guitar
Anita Carter – vocals, guitar
June Carter – vocals, guitar, autoharp
(2012–present) (as Carter Family III)
John Carter Cash
Laura Cash
Dale Jett