Tenneva Ramblers

Formed in 1924, the group comprised Claude Grant (b. 17 April 1906, d. October 1975, Bristol, Tennessee, USA; guitar, vocals), his brother Jack (b. 25 July 1903, d. March 1968, Bristol, Tennessee, USA; mandolin), and Jack Pierce (b. 1908, Smyth County, Virginia, USA, d. March 1950; fiddle), but they were sometimes joined by Smokey Davis (a blackface comedian) and on recordings by Claude Slagle (b. 1902, d. March 1950, Bristol, Tennessee, USA; banjo). In 1927, Jimmie Rodgers offered them work as his backing group. After initially refusing, they changed their name to the Jimmie Rodgers Entertainers and made some appearances with him. They were scheduled to back Rodgers on his first recordings but just prior to the session, they left him and reverted to their old name to pursue a recording career of their own. They remained active on various radio stations until 1954, sometimes being known as the Grant Brothers. They are remembered for their recording of ‘The Longest Train’. Their entire recording output was issued by Puritan Records in 1972.