A. P. Carter A.P. would spend much of his time roaming the countryside, stopping at the houses of both neighbors and strangers and asking for songs, which he would then edit, shape and simplify and arrange with the help of Sara and Maybelle. Birth Name: Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter Induction Year: 1970 Date of Birth: 12/15/1891 Place of Birth: Maces Springs, VA Date of Death: 11/7/1960 Place of Death: Kingsport, TN Former Occupations: farm work fruit tree salesman carpentry work storekeeper Career Milestones: 1926--put together Carter Family trio (A.P., Sara and Maybelle Addington Carter) 1927--auditioned for Victor Records and made first records (in Bristol, TN); audition was result of their responding to an ad placed by Ralph Peer, a talent scout for Victor 1930--recording of "The Cannonball" featured first solo vocal from A.P. 1931--met Jimmie Rodgers and recorded with him in Louisville, KY 1935--began recording for the American Record Company (ARC) 1936-1939--Carter Family joined by Maybelle's daughters Anita, June and Helen, and A.P.'s children Janette and Joe 1936--recorded for Decca 1936--cut a number of radio transcriptions for Associated Program Services 1938--moved to Texas to begin a three year stint recording transcriptions for broadcast over powerful Mexican border stations XERA, XEG and XENT; the children started joining them on the radio at this time 1940--traveled to Chicago to record for Columbia (formerly ARC) 1941--went to Charlotte, NC to work on radio station WBT 1941--final recording session in October 1943--original Carter Family trio disbanded; A.P. returned to Maces Springs and opened his now legendary country store at the foot of Clinch Mountain 1952--reunion with Sara and children Joe and Janette to record for Acme Records  Awards: 1970--Country Music Hall of Fame induction (original Carter Family) 1959--BMI Award\Jimmy Brown, the Newsboy Catalog Highlights Will the Circle Be Unbroken? Artists: Carter Family, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Wildwood Flower Artists: Carter Family Wabash Cannonball Artists: Carter Family Keep on the Sunny Side Co-Writer: Gary Garett Artists: Carter Family Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow Artists: Carter Family I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes Artists: Carter Family, Merrill Jay Singers, Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Eddy Arnold, Jimmie Davis, Denver Darling, Montana Slim, Price Brothers My Clinch Mountain Home Artists: Carter Family Jimmy Brown, the Newsboy Artists: Carter Family, Mac Wiseman (1959) Worried Man Blues Artists: Kingston Trio Comments: Today the Carter Family is known as the Original Carter Family The Carter Family has been dubbed "The First Family of Country Music"