Tweet Wade Mainer is "Still Pickin'"

Before there was bluegrass, there was "mountain music," a very traditional American style that might have died out, if not for radio and recordings in the 1920s-30s.

One of the more familiar recording acts was J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers, and one of its pivotal members is still alive, J.E.'s banjoist brother Wade. A week or so ago, Wade turned 104... and though he doesn't perform in public anymore, it was mentioned recently on the syndicated Into the Blue show that he's "still pickin.'"

Wade played on the band's 1934-1936 recordings, then founded his own group, the Sons of the Mountaineers, which recorded dozens of sides for RCA Victor, and was active until 1953.

Know this group well. Sold that kind of music in my shop in the 1980s into the 1990s.

Sorry to have to be the one to post this:

Wade Mainer, musician, born 21 April 1907; died 12 September 2011. Wade is survived by Julia, his daughter, Polly, and his sons, Frank, Kelly and Randall.

Nice obituary on the Guardian site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/se ... r-obituary" target="_blank