Collector Discovers What is Thought to Be the First Country Music Recording Ever Made
Archeophone Records
Collector Finds Oldest Country Music Recording
A recording of the song “Thompsonâs Old Gray Mule” has been discovered. It is believed to be the first-ever recording of a country music song.
Country music has a deep history, with many great artists shaping the genre. It has changed over time, and it turns out the genre might have started much earlier than people once thought.
A collector named John Levin is believed to have discovered the oldest known recording of a country song. According to The Washington Post, Levin purchased a box of wax cylinders at an auction in Pennsylvania over a decade ago for just $100. For years, he had no idea he was holding one of the most significant artifacts in music history. It wasnât until much later, when he played one of the old cylinders on his custom player, that the groundbreaking discovery was made.
The recording turned out to feature a performer from New Orleans named Louis Vasnier, singing the song “Thompson’s Old Gray Mule.” It is said to date back all the way to 1891.
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Vasnier was a Black man who began singing around 1880 and continued into the 1890s. He performed parody sermons for the Louisiana Phonograph Company.
The song “Thompsonâs Old Gray Mule” was originally written in 1884 by Thomas P. Westendorf.
The song would later go on to be most known for its recording by Uncle Dave Macon and Riley Puckett.
After 133 Years, Louis Vasnier’s Version of “Thompsonâs Old Gray Mule” is Available for Everyone to Hear
A record label named Archeophone has made it possible for the public to finally hear what is potentially the oldest country music recording. The small label, whose mission is to restore older tracks, released a 45-rpm record of the song.
With the discovery and new enhancements, country music lovers can now appreciate a piece of history that started it all.
You can now listen to what is believed to be the oldest country music recording, “Thompsonâs Old Gray Mule,” originally performed by Louis Vasnier in the video below.
