Bill Carlisle

about

William Toliver Carlisle (December 19, 1908–March 17, 2003) was an American country music singer, songwriter, comedian and guitarist popular in the late 1940s and 1950s but who influenced the genre for more than 50 years. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Bill Carlisle was born in Wakefield, Kentucky southeast of Louisville. He performed in the 1920s with his older brother, Cliff Carlisle, on radio stations WLAP-AM in Lexington, Kentucky and WNOX-AM in Knoxville, Tennessee. His first solo single and hit was the 1933 recording of "Rattlesnake Daddy," released on ARC Records. That year he formed the Carlisle Brothers with Cliff, and in 1938 they signed with Decca Records and continued performing on Kentucky country radio programs. He created an alter ego for the WNOX's Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round and Tennessee Barn Dance shows called Hot Shot Elmer, a bumbling buffoon in costume who would "interrupt" Carlisle's own performances. His leaps on stage won him the moniker "Jumpin' Bill." Carlisle's guitar style was noted for its precision and speed, and he employed yodeling as a vocalist. Like his brother, he released many songs which included humorous, veiled references to sexuality. The duo signed with King Records after World War II, and hit big with the Ernest Tubb cover, "A Rainbow at Midnight", in 1946. Carlisle had a solo hit in 1948 with "Tramp on the Street". Cliff retired from the business about 1950, and Bill put together a backing ensemble, The Carlisles, t

top songs

albums

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Hall of Fame 2002

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Rough and Rowdy Hillbilly of the 1930's Vol. 1

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Best Of Bill Carlisle

Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight: Busy Body Boogie

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Baby, How Can It Be?

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Jumpin' Bill Carlisle

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TTRH Season 1 - 36 - Hair

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Too Old to Cut the Mustard

Baby, How Can It Be? (Songs Of Love, Lust And Contempt From The 1920s And 1930s)

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Theme Time Radio Hour - 36 - Hair

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Hillbilly Classics

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100 Funny Favorites

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