The Delmore Brothers was an American country music pioneer duo consisting of brothers Alton and Rabon Delmore. Influenced by gospel music and Appalachian folk traditions, the duo blended gospel-style harmonies with quick guitar work. The brothers recorded their first session for Columbia Records in 1931, which included "Got The Kansas City Blues" (1931). They subsequently recorded for Victor's budget label Bluebird, releasing songs such as "Brown's Ferry Blues" (1934), and became stars of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1930s before leaving the show in 1938. Banned or departed from the Opry, they officially signed with King Records in 1942, releasing notable songs such as "Freight Train Boogie" (1946) and "Blues Stay Away From Me" (1949). Over their career, the brothers wrote more than one thousand songs and popularised the use of the tenor guitar. Rabon died of lung cancer on December 4, 1952. Following his brother's death, Alton suffered a heart attack and moved back to Huntsville, Alabama, where he wrote his autobiography, Truth is Stranger than Publicity, before dying on June 9, 1964.
