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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
Size | About 70 items |
Abstract | During the 1940s and 1950s, white country music singer and guitarist Glenn Thompson was a popular bandleader, radio personality, and recording artist, performing first with the Burlington, N.C.,-based Blue Ridge Entertainers and subsequently with his own Dixie Playboys. Thompson continued to perform regularly and released several recordings as both soloist and bandleader until his retirement in 1985. The collection includes photographs and sound recordings documenting Thompson's musical career. Photographs feature Thompson, his bandmates, and associates during the 1940s and 1950s, and include several promotional shots of Thompson, the Blue Ridge Entertainers, and the Dixie Playboys. Photographs also document Thompson's involvement with Danville, Va., radio station WDVA and his performance at a number of venues, including the WDVA Barn Dance, the Carolina Theatre (Burlington), a voting rally, a WTOB (Winston-Salem) television show, and several radio stations. Also included are photographs of comedians who performed in Thompson's stage show, most commonly long-time bandmate Sleepy Johnson and WDVA personality Homer T (Thomasson). Other performers include Charlie Monroe; armless musician Ray R. Meyers; and the Louvin Brothers. Sound recordings include CD copies of commercial 78 rpm records and LP records; original 45 rpm records; and cassettes and compact discs issued privately by Thompson or by the Greensboro-based Skatter label. A taped interview, in which Thompson comments on the collection's photographs, provides anecdotes about Buck Owens, Bill Monroe and Charlie Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, the Louvins, Ray Meyers, Thompson's bandmates, and Thompson's musical experiences in Danville and Burlington. |
Creator | Thompson, Glenn, 1921-2012. |
Curatorial Unit | Southern Folklife Collection |
Language | English. |
Processed by: Burgin Mathews, October 2002
Encoded by: Burgin Mathews, October 2002
Updated by: Anne Wells, March 2017, June 2021; Patrick Cullom, December 2019
Since August 2017, we have added ethnic and racial identities for individuals and families represented in collections. To determine identity, we rely on self-identification; other information supplied to the repository by collection creators or sources; public records, press accounts, and secondary sources; and contextual information in the collection materials. Omissions of ethnic and racial identities in finding aids created or updated after August 2017 are an indication of insufficient information to make an educated guess or an individual's preference for identity information to be excluded from description. When we have misidentified, please let us know at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu.
Until 2019, some of photographic materials in this collection were originally part of the "SFC General Photograph Collection." Materials in the SFC General Photographic Collection were individually numbered in a sequential manner that spanned collections. Materials that have a number with a "P-" indicate inclusion in this collection. These numbers have been retained so that previous uses of the images and additional description remain connected to the materials.
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Glenn Thompson was born in Moore County, N.C., on 16 October 1921. His radio career began in 1941 at station WGH in Newport News, Va. In 1943, he moved to Panama City, Fla., working briefly at station WDLP with John King and his Drifting Cowboys. In 1944, after serving for about a year as a tank driver in Fort Knox, Ky., Glenn moved again to Burlington, N.C. His band, the Blue Ridge Entertainers, performed daily on Burlington radio station WBBB; the band, with some personnel changes, changed its name in 1946 to Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys. From that year to 1948, they released five 78s on Thompson's own label, recorded at the Nelson Teal Studios in Burlington. In 1947, the group began extensive touring with the Wilby Kensey Theatre circuit, performing in thirteen eastern states from Maine to Florida. In 1949, Thompson and the Playboys moved to Danville, Va., where they recorded three 78s and were featured performers on radio station WDVA. That June, the station started its very popular Saturday night Barn Dance, held at the Danville Fairgrounds, with Glenn as its main attraction. In addition to headlining that weekly program, Thompson frequently entertained school and church groups, traveled with his own tent show, and coordinated a shifting pool of considerable talent for his shows. For a short period in 1950, the Louvin Brothers joined the Barn Dance, acting as Thompson's band and appearing uncredited on his 78 recording of "Lovers Lane" and "Trouble Keeps Hanging Around My Door."
Thompson returned to Burlington and WBBB in 1953 and recorded two LPs and a final single during the 1960s, with a number of the LP tracks released additionally as 45s. In 1983, he married his third wife, Wilma Martin, the widow of country entertainer Slim Martin. Thompson retired from the music business in 1985, but continued to make occasional personal appearances.
Back to TopThe Glenn Thompson collection includes photographs and sound recordings documenting Thompson's musical career. Photographs feature Thompson, his bandmates, and associates during the 1940s and 1950s, the most active years of his career, and include promotional shots of Thompson and his bands, the Blue Ridge Entertainers and the Dixie Playboys. Photographs also document Thompson's involvement with Danville, Va., radio station WDVA, and feature Thompson and the Playboys in performance at a number of venues, including the WDVA Barn Dance, the Carolina Theatre (Burlington, N.C.), a voting rally, a WTOB (Winston-Salem) television show, and several radio stations. Also included are photographs of comedians who performed in Thompson's stage show, most commonly long-time bandmate Sleepy Johnson and WDVA personality Homer T (Thomasson). Other performers at some point affiliated with Thompson and featured in the collection include Charlie Monroe, armless musician Ray R. Meyers, and the Louvin Brothers, who filled in briefly for Thompson's backup band and were regulars on the WDVA Barn Dance in 1950. A taped interview, in which Thompson comments on the photographs in the collection, provides anecdotes about Buck Owens, Bill Monroe and Charlie Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, the Louvins, Ray Meyers, Thompson's own bandmates, and, more generally, Thompson's musical experiences in Danville and Burlington. This collection contains images of white performers, such as Sleepy Johnson and Rusty Puckett, in blackface.
Sound recordings include CD copies of commercially recorded 78 rpm records and LP records; original 45 rpm records; and original cassettes and compact discs issued privately by Thompson or by the Greensboro-based Skatter label. Two additional cassettes, recorded in 2001 with the acquisition of Thompson's photograph collection, contain an interview in which Thompson describes the photographs.
Back to TopArrangement: original order has been maintained.
Photographs of Glenn Thompson, his bandmates, associates, and venues. Included are the Blue Ridge Entertainers, Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys, Sleepy Johnson, the Louvin Brothers, the WDVA Barn Dance, and the Carolina Theatre (Burlington, N.C.).
This series contains images of white performers, such as Sleepy Johnson and Rusty Puckett, in blackface.
Until 2019, some of photographic materials in this collection were originally part of the "SFC General Photograph Collection." Materials in the SFC General Photographic Collection were individually numbered in a sequential manner that spanned collections. Materials that have a number with a "P-" indicate inclusion in this collection. These numbers have been retained so that previous uses of the images and additional description remain connected to the materials.
Image P-20341/4326 |
Blue Ridge EntertainersPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4327 |
Smokey Garner and Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4328 |
Two men playing guitar and a woman singingPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4329 |
Glenn Thompson and the RhythairesPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4330 |
Bill Monroe and Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4331 |
Glenn Thompson and Charlie MonroePhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4332 |
Glenn Thompson and Buck OwensPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4333 |
Charlie Monroe at the home of Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4334 |
Gurney Thomas and bandPhotographic Prints Left to right: Gurney Thomas on guitar, Glenn Davis on banjo, "Uncle Henry" with cane, Woody Grayson, other members unidentified. |
Image P-20341/4335 |
Glenn Thompson's Dixie PlayboysPhotographic Prints Left to right: Billy Purcell; Paige Hepler, Sleepy Johnson, and unidentified bass player. |
Image P-20341/4336 |
Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4337 |
Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4338 |
Lowell Blanchard and Ira LouvinPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4339 |
Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4340 |
Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4341 |
Louvin BrothersPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4342 |
Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4343 |
Glenn ThompsonPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4344 |
Glenn Thompson and his Dixie PlayboysPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4345 |
Glenn Thompson and his Dixie PlayboysPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4346 |
Ray R. MeyersPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4347 |
Smokey Graves and Babe HarrellPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4348 |
WDVA Barn Dance stage, Danville, Va.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4349 |
WDVA Barn Dance admission gate and Danville livestock auction marketPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4350 |
Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys at a voting rallyPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4351 |
The Bowes BrothersPhotographic Prints Left to right: unidentified mandolin player, Ira Bowes on fiddle, Josephine Gentry on guitar, Simon Bowes on Guitar, unidentified banjo player, unidentified bass player. |
Image P-20341/4352 |
Jack FlemmingPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4353 |
Sleepy Johnson publicity shotPhotographic Prints This image depicts the white performer, Sleepy Johnson, in blackface. |
Image P-20341/4354 |
Blue Ridge EntertainersPhotographic Prints Left to right: Stacey Fry, Glenn Thompson, Oscar Hutchins, Smokey Graves, Sleepy Johnson, Curly Gardner |
Image P-20341/4355 |
Glenn Thompson publicity shotPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4356 |
Publicity for Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys, Carolina Theatre, Burlington, N.C.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4357 |
Rusty PuckettPhotographic Prints This image depicts the white performer, Rusty Puckett, in blackface. |
Image P-20341/4358 |
Publicity for Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys, Carolina Theatre, Burlington, N.C.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4359 |
Glenn Thompson with band, WDVA, Danville, Va.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4360 |
Carolina Theatre, Burlington, N.C.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4361 |
Crowd in line to see Glenn Thompson at the Carolina Theatre, Burlington, N.C.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4362 |
Unidentified manPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4363 |
Al McCoyPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4364 |
Reunion at the WDVA Barn DancePhotographic Prints Left to right: Simon Bowes, Glenn Thompson, Homer T, Clyde Moody, Jim Eanes |
Image P-20341/4365 |
Original Dixie Playboys lineupPhotographic Prints Left to right: Babe Harrell, Billy Purcell, Glenn Thompson, Sleepy Johnson, Curly Gardner |
Image P-20341/4366 |
Danville, Va. Left to right: Glenn Thompson, Billy Purcell, Roy Cook, Sleepy Johnson, Roy RussellPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4367 |
Left to right (standing): Maynard Skeare (?), Curly Gardner, Glenn Thompson, Homer T, Sleepy Johnson. Left to right (kneeling): Jack Flemming, Cub McGee.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4368 |
Publicity shot for WTOB Saturday night television show, Winston-Salem, N.C.Photographic Prints Left to right: Oscar Hutchins, Sleepy Johnson, Johnny G, Paige Hepler, unidentified guitar player, Glenn Thompson |
Image P-20341/4369 |
Louvin Brothers with Paige HeplerPhotographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4370 |
Homer "T" Thomasson, Danville, Va.Photographic Prints |
Image P-20341/4371 |
Left to right: Babe Harrell, Billy Purcell, Rocky Stone, Brenda Ann Underwood, Glenn Thompson, Sleepy Johnson, and Curly Gardner at the Carolina Theatre, Burlington, N.C.Photographic Prints |
Arrangement: by format.
Sound recordings include CD copies of commercially recorded 78 rpm records and LP records; original 45 rpm records; and original cassettes and compact discs issued privately by Thompson or by the Greensboro-based Skatter label. Two additional cassettes, recorded in 2001 with the acquisition of Thompson's photograph collection, contain an interview in which Thompson describes the photographs.
78-rpm Disc 78rpm-20341/18467 |
Record And Sheet Music Sales Company 10-002: "All Alone, I've Been Waiting for You"/"Teardrops of Sorrow," Glen Thompson and his Dixie Playboys. |
78-rpm Disc 78rpm-20341/18468 |
Tommy's 1005: "When I Get the Blues"/"Love Faded Like a Rose," Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys. |
78-rpm Disc 78rpm-20341/18469 |
Athenian Hillbilly Series 001: "Lovers Lane"/"Troubles Keep Hanging 'Round My Door," Glen Thompson. |
78-rpm Disc 78rpm-20341/18470 |
78-18470: Acme 282: "Rocky Mountain Sweetheart"/"Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby," Glen Thompson. |
78-rpm Disc 78rpm-20341/18471 |
78-18471: Record And Sheet Music Sales Company 10-003: "Dixie Playboy's Swing"/"Just Another Rose," Glen Thompson and His Dixie Playboys. |
78-rpm Disc 78rpm-20341/18472 |
78-18472: Record And Sheet Music Sales Company 10-006: "Double Stone"/"The Day We Met," Glen Thompson and His Dixie Playboys. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8680 |
Tornado 101: "My Mary"/"What a Line," Glenn Thompson. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8681 |
Tornado 143: "Bad, Bad Dream"/"Thirteen Stripes in Old Glory," Glenn Thompson. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8682 |
Tornado 144: "Walk Softly (You're Walking On My Heart)"/"You Didn't Want Me Yesterday (I Don't Want You Today)," Glenn Thompson. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8683 |
Tornado 160: "Sunshine Through the Rain"/"You're Not the Girl I Used to Know," Glenn Thompson. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8684 |
Tornado 166: "Where the Red River Flows"/"King of the Endless Highways," Glenn Thompson. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8685 |
Whirlwind 4392: "Missing Person"/"I'm Knocking On Wood," Glenn Thompson. |
45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20341/8686 |
Whirlwind 4392: "Missing Person"/"I'm Knocking On Wood," Glenn Thompson. DJ copy. |
Audiodisc FC-20341/13227 |
Big T CSS-555-6: Country Songs I Love To Sing, Glenn Thompson. |
Audiodisc FC-20341/13228 |
Tornado LPM102: The Best of Glenn Thompson, Glenn Thompson. |
Music Compact Disc CD-20341/2194 |
Privately issued: Glenn Thompson and His Guitar, Glenn Thompson. |
Music Compact Disc CD-20341/2195 |
Privately issued: The Early Years 1940s-1950s, Glenn Thompson and his Dixie Playboys. |
Music Compact Disc CD-20341/2228 |
Skatter: Where the Old Red River Flows, Glenn Thompson. |
Music Compact Disc CD-20341/2229 |
Skatter: Thirteen Stripes in Old Glory and Other Favorites, Glenn Thompson. |
SFC Audio Cassette FS-20341/5530 |
Privately issued: The Best of Glenn Thompson, Glenn Thompson. |
SFC Audio Cassette FS-20341/5531 |
Privately issued: Vintage Country, Glenn Thompson. |
SFC Audio Cassette FS-20341/6086 |
Interview with Glenn Thompson by Steve Weiss and Amy Davis, 5/16/01, Tape 1. |
SFC Audio Cassette FS-20341/6087 |
Interview with Glenn Thompson by Steve Weiss and Amy Davis, 5/16/01, Tape 2. |