Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson & More Featured On The Delmore Brothers Tribute Album: ‘Their Musical Innovation Influenced Almost Every Genre of Music’

In the 1930s and 1940s, Alton and Rabon Delmore, hailing from Elkmont, Alabama, formed The Delmore Brothers, establishing themselves as one of country music’s pioneering sibling duos. Their harmonies and musical ingenuity, including innovative chord changes and the infusion of blues into country music, set them apart. Songwriter-producer Jerry Salley attributes their influence to their ability to write unique songs that no one else was crafting at the time, particularly highlighted by their 1950 hit "Blues, Stay Away From Me," which later inspired covers by artists like Merle Haggard and Asleep at the Wheel.

A century later, songwriter Jerry Salley, in collaboration with Dr. Keith Ferguson of Athens State University, curated A Century of Strings, Stories & Songs: A Tribute to The Delmore Brothers, released on October 1st on Billy Blue Records. The tribute album brings together various artists, such as Shenandoah's Marty Raybon, the Statler Brothers' Jimmy Fortune, Trey Hensley, Del McCoury, Bradley Walker, Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson, and the legendary Riders In The Sky, to reinterpret the Delmore Brothers' songs in their own styles.

The album includes a rendition of "Blue Railroad Train," originally penned as a tribute to Jimmie Rodgers by the Delmore Brothers. Salley, who once held a spot offered by The Delmore Brothers' tenor Doyle Lawson, expresses his gratitude and pride in collaborating with Doyle for the tenor part on "When It's Time For The Whippoorwill to Sing."

The Delmore Brothers, known for their versatility, also ventured into country-influenced Gospel quartet territory with Grandpa Jones and Merle Travis, forming The Brown’s Ferry Four. Despite their early death—Alton in 1964 and Rabon in 1952—The Delmore Brothers left a profound impact on American music, influencing almost every genre from country and bluegrass to rockabilly and blues.