Roy Acuff’s Fiddle Finds Rightful Place Thanks to Vince Gill
There are some items that are so important, so revered, they shouldn’t be possessed by any individual, but by us all. In country music, this includes a specific set of instruments tied to the music’s history so irrevocably, they comprise the very bedrock of the genre.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has a name for this collection of instruments: The Precious Jewels. This includes the father of bluegrass Bill Monroe’s 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin, the 1928 Gibson L-5 guitar owned by Mother Maybelle Carter, the 1930 Gibson RB Granada banjo owned by Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt’s 1950 Martin D-28 guitar, and the Martin D-28 guitar owned by none other than Hank Williams.
But one of the most important country legends that was previously not represented in this collection was Roy Acuff. The argument can be made that Acuff was country music’s first true superstar. As the face, voice, and fiddle of the Grand Ole Opry for decades, he really helped popularize the genre in the 40’s before Hank Williams and others came on the scene, and was the first performer to adopt the moniker “The King of Country Music.”
Now, a fiddle owned and regularly used by Roy Acuff—and one with a very interesting story behind it—will finally find its way into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s permanent collection, and thanks to a musician who admired Roy Acuff, worked as an Acuff understudy, and currently serves as the President of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees, Vince Gill.
“We got to be really great friends out at the Opry when I started turning up out there in the late 80’s, and he liked my singing, all the harmony singing that I had in my songs, and I was always undone by his kindness,” says Vince Gill.
The story of Roy Acuff’s fiddle goes back to World War 2. During the war, The Grand Ole Opry presentation persevered back home, and was broadcast overseas to troops serving abroad. In fact a poll conducted by Armed Forces Network’s “Munich Morning Report” near the end of the war found that Roy Acuff was more popular at the time with American GI’s than Frank Sinatra. Acuff was also a regular performer on USO tours. Apparently in the Pacific, some Japanese soldiers took to yelling “To hell with Roy Acuff!” to rib American troops.
That popularity with the troops translated into four soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 348th Engineer Combat Battalion finding a fiddle made in 1890 in a bombed-out music store in Frankfurt, Germany in 1945 near the conclusion of the war, and sending it back to Roy Acuff in the States. The fiddle turned out to be spectacular find—a Austrian-made copy of the highly prized violins crafted by a luthier named Jacobus Stainer in the 1600s.
Roy Acuff didn’t just enjoy and play the fiddle for the sentimental value. If was one of his favorites from the sweet tone it produced, and the fine craftsmanship it boasted. Undoubtedly, it did time balancing precariously on the bridge of Acuff’s chin, which was his signature stage move when the fiddle wasn’t tucked under his chin being sawed away on.
“I came upon it through my friend George Gruhn,” Vince Gill explains. “The granddaughter of ‘Bashful’ Brother Oswald who played for so many years with Roy found out that their granddaughter was going to put it up for sale, and I immediately purchased it for several reasons, the main one being I’d always intended on hoping it would find a home [at the Country Music Hall of Fame].”
The fiddle had been kept in a shadowbox for years in a private collection, with a letter of authenticity signed by Roy Acuff, as well as a letter from 1969 between Acuff and John E. Johnson Sr., who was one of the four original servicemen who sent Acuff the fiddle. Now being affectionately named “Soldier’s Joy” for the old fiddle tune, the instrument has been put on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame with the two original letters, further memorabilia, and with the origin story.
“What’s neat is this fiddle really does have history,” says Vince Gill. “It’s not something he gave somebody to get rid of. It’s a tool he used out there a lot. [And now] it’s home. It’s where it belongs.”
Sir Adam the Great
July 3, 2021 @ 8:00 am
Wow. I’m surprised it wasn’t there earlier. I’m still in admiration of people like Vince and Marty Stuart who are actively preserving the history of country music while the history of so many other things are being trampled and thrown away.
I Ain't Every Satisfied
July 3, 2021 @ 8:53 am
Finally the CMHOF will have 1 item of Roy Acuff available for display in their massive facility. During my first visit there 7 or 8 years ago I was awestruck by all of the artifacts, but then realized when I reached the end that there was nothing from Roy Acuff displayed. Then I reached the rotunda and looked at all the plaques and then realized there was hardly anything on display for most of them, besides a plaque. But I also noticed a huge display of Luke Bryan’s jeans and socks and a wallet and a shoe string and a rock found in his shoe when he was 4 years old. I’ve noticed also they removed Merle Travis’ guitar from the Precious Jewel’s collection…which needs to be expanded to put it back in as well as adding his Bigsby and Sara Carter’s autoharp that is displayed with a little white card saying it was used during the Bristol Sessions. I also wish they would have a special display for Grandpa Jones instead of having his boots and clothes in that Hee Haw display where you really can’t see much.
Corncaster
July 3, 2021 @ 10:34 am
Wonderful. Simply wonderful.
Terry
July 3, 2021 @ 1:37 pm
So great to see history being preserved for future generations. Way to go Vince!
Tom Smith
July 3, 2021 @ 2:13 pm
Awesome.
Ian
July 3, 2021 @ 6:04 pm
Jimmie Rodgers record sales accounted for 10% of the total sales by RCA Victor at the time of his death. His body was taken across the country by train so his fans could pay their respects. I don’t think there is much debate about the first country superstar. No disrespect to Roy Acuff but he didn’t join The Opry until 1938, five years after Jimmies death. Glad about this amazing donation, can’t wait to see it, Vince Gill was already the man before this but it’s very cool!
Bear
July 4, 2021 @ 10:54 am
I remember reading an interview with I think Merle, Willie, and Waylon where the interviewer asked who the most influential country musician of all time was, and Willie and Merle said Roy Rogers. The interviewer felt like Willie and Merle were putting him on. So he pressed them about Jimmie Rodgers. That’s when Waylon stepped in and said something to the effect of, “At the time we were growing up most of us didn’t know Jimmie’s music we didn’t know he would become THE Jimmie Rodgers we talk about today. Roy Rogers was the guy that we saw on screen, who made us all want to go out and get a guitar and sing.”
Trigger
July 4, 2021 @ 12:38 pm
I think it’s fair and just that Jimmie Rodgers is known as the “father of country music.” I think that’s a good way to convey his importance and influences, just as characterizing Roy Acuff as the first “King of Country Music,” followed shortly by Hank Williams. Acuff really helped make the Grand Ole Opry the institution that could help launch the superstardom of someone like Hank Williams.
Kevin Smith
July 5, 2021 @ 10:06 am
Very interesting quotes Bear. Roy Rogers was indeed a singing cowboy and a member of Sons of The Pioneers. There is no doubt he was the most influential figure ever in Western music. Thats indisputable. And i totally get why Willie and Merle would say that. Roy Rogers was a much bigger name in pop culture than Jimmie Rodgers ever was. My opinion, the Singing Brakeman was influential , no doubt about it when you realize Ernest Tubb patterned himself after him, not to mention Johnny Cash idolized Rodgers as did many others,, but his name is hardly known today outside of some die-hards like us. Some names age well in history and others fade into obscurity.
Gavin Richard Alan Argue
July 3, 2021 @ 7:12 pm
Have always liked Vince Gill for his music alone. Never heard much about him otherwise. Thats pretty Badass though. Good on him.
Shawn tackett
July 4, 2021 @ 1:26 am
way to go vince. keep up the awesome work.
WuK
July 4, 2021 @ 7:59 am
It is where it belongs and not before time. Well done Vince Gill.
Rich Ord
July 4, 2021 @ 9:53 am
I have been a Bluegrass Bassman all my life! Recently my health (Alzheimer’s is currently destroying my mind!!
Rich Ord
July 4, 2021 @ 9:58 am
I was 20 years old when I retired from Vietnam. These are some of my all time favorites!
Travis
July 4, 2021 @ 11:17 am
Museums are fantastic for what they are, but instruments — assuming they are in playable condition — should be heard. I love what the caretakers of Duane Allman’s guitars/gear have done providing an opportunity for certain musicians to use them for studio purposes, and/or when traveling through the Macon, Ga., on tour.
Kudos to Vince, but I’d still prefer a situation where this instrument (and the others mentioned) could be both exhibited and heard in the appropriate hands.
Trigger
July 4, 2021 @ 12:48 pm
Last October, the Country Music Hall of Fame put on a presentation where they had artist playing the instruments in their permanent collection. It was a really great event, and I hope they make it an annual occurrence. I agree these instruments should be played, but I would say ideally, they still would be, while also ensuring they’re permanently kept in the public space by a public institution. My biggest concern is when they end up in a private collection, and it’s just one rich asshole who gets to play it and show it off to their friends. This was the scenario for this Roy Acuff fiddle before Vince Gill purchased it and donated it. And if he hadn’t, it would have likely ended up in someone else’s private collection.
I.M. Brute
July 5, 2021 @ 5:05 am
I agree that old musical instruments should be played from time to time. I’ve got a 150 year-old fiddle that’s been restored into playable condition. It sounds beautiful and I usually play a few tunes every day, whether anyone else is around to hear it or not. It would be sad if this instrument collected dust in silence once I’m gone. I’d like to think people would be playing it for the NEXT 150 years!
David B
July 6, 2021 @ 4:32 pm
I was truly surprised at some missing artists at the museum as well. Acuff among them. It is my understanding his family kept most of his belongings. His son is now deceased and his daughter is very elderly. Her son runs the Roy Acuff facebook page and it is a good thing to follow if you are not already.
And I agree– We need more Grandpa Jones, put Merle Travis back back out, I saw nothing from Little Jimmy Dickens, nothing from Stringbean (my guess is Grandpa Jones’ family has those belongings) . There was nothing on display that belonged to Conway Twitty either.