He was born Dewey Hubbard Aderhold. But one may wonder how this steel guitar player got to be known as "Slim Idaho."
When he began working in radio, one day an announcer told listeners over the air that his name was "Idaho", a mispronunciation
of his last name; Dewey let it go. Later, someone began calling him "Idaho Slim" in the vein of another popular
radio name at the time, "Montana Slim." Dewey like the combination, but reversed it and thus, "Slim Idaho" was his
stage name after that.
The Richmond News Leader reported in a small article about the new steel player on the WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance
in 1947 that he was born on April 28, 1925 in Greenville, SC, which is the same date he wrote down on his World War II
draft registration card. He could play more than his rare triple-necked steel guitar. He also played the trumpet,
guitar and bass fiddle.
The first mention of his being a performer was in a small "personal ad" in a Greenwood, SC newspaper in 1943.
It was for a dance, "Round and square with all-radio talent band." The group was made up of
Dynamite Jim, Jack Thompson, Eddie Doolittle, Slim Idaho, and Curly Mulligan. The gig was at the Log Cabin
on the Fair Grounds at Phoenix Street presumably in Greenwood, SC. Admission price was men, 75 cents; ladies, free.
An article that was highlighting the radio programs for a day the Atlanta Journal provided information
not only as to the artists on the WSB Barn Dance broadcast that night, but the tunes they would play.
These listings also tend to indicate the time that Slim spent with WSB. The following is a list
of tunes he was scheduled to play on the dates indicated:
- Steel Guitar Chimes (November 14, 1942)
- Sweet Georgia Brown (November 21, 1942)
- Song Of The Island (November 28, 1942)
- Steel Guitar Rag (December 12, 1942)
- Blue Steel Blues (December 19, 1942)
- Steel Guitar Chimes (July 24, 1943)
- Singing On The Steel (July 31, 1943)
- Steel Guitar Rag (August 14, 1943)
- Swinging On The Steel (August 21, 1943)
- Blue Bonnet Rag (August 28, 1943)
Research has uncovered a promotional ad featuring Paul Howard and His Arkansas Cotton Pickers for an appearance
in Brewton, AL in December 1944. Each band member had their own picture. There was someone
named D. H. Adderholt as "steel guitar expert." A rare instance seen of Dewey's last name being used.
Paul Howard hired him to play with his group, the Arkansas Cottonpickers. His name would show up
in promo ads or articles promoting an upcoming appearance by Howard's group. In Howard's first
appearance in Florida in 1948, the article mentioned him this way, "Also, from the Opry will be
Little Judy Dean, Slim Idaho, the Wizard of the steel guitar and many, many more."
In January 1947, Paul Howard and his band were appearing in Alabama. The group only had one female person, Judy
Dean, who had been with the group about three years. Slim was mentioned as being the steel guitar player. Similar
'article' (or more likely a standard press release template) mentions the same for an appearance in Selma, AL in
early February 1947. The tour then took them to Butler, Alabama in the middle of the month. March saw the group
playing dates in Ohio, using the same promo article. Howard's troupe appears to have then gone to Pennsylvania
and Connecticut during May, but the promotional ads were featuring the Duke of Paducah and the only other person
mentioned in Howard's group in the ads was Judy Dean.
WRVA announced the "steel guitar specialist" was joining their cast on Saturday night, June 21, 1947. In that
articles they state he began playing professionally at the age of 14 (around 1939). The article reported that Slim
had it 'pretty rugged' at times when he started out. He claimed he could always sing for his supper. Slim said,
"Sometimes it took a heap of singin' to get up a mighty little bit of supper."
The show came up with a way to 'spotlight' Slim's entrance on the WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance that night.
A special gag routine was written up which would feature Slim as a Hawaiian hillbilly, complete with a grass skirt
pieced together with cellophane tape.
Around 1941, research shows that Tommy Sosebee (18 years old) and Slim (already a known steel guitar player) decided
to form a band of their own. They got Curly Mullikin, a piano player, to join them. Tommy and Curly continued to play
together, but it appears Slim moved on.
Marion Lee Hall wrote in her "Marian's Airings" column in April 1947 that Slim had recorded eight sides for the Columbia
record label. She noted, "... Slim can give out with some weird arrangements on that there guitar."
The introductory article indicated he had worked with Warner Brothers studios in Hollywood in movies, played the
WSM Grand Ole Opry
In 1964, Ginger Willis wrote an article about the "Nashville Sound" that focused on the steel guitar, including
a visit to Shot Jackson, himself a steel guitar manufacturer. She wrote of the history of the steel in country music.
The instrument evolved from the Hawaiian guitar which was similar to a regular guitar, but had the strings
raised.
"The first electric (steel) guitar (Hawaiian) had six strings, same as the original, but the box itself was
smaller and the amplifier gave it the different sound that was soon picked up by recording stars. For instance,
all Hank Williams' records featured a solo by this new instrument now called the steel guitar. Jerry Byrd,
Slim Idaho, Shot Jackson, Little Roy Wiggins and Don Helms were some of the early pioneers of this new sound."
Tragedy struck the WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance Family on October 17, 1948. Slim was riding a motorcycle and riding with him
was Charles Hughes Wiltshire. Slim collided with an automobile at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 51
at Four Mile Fork in Stafford (Spotsylvania?) County, Virginia.
Slim died instantly from the crash. Mr. Wiltshire,
a brother of Arleen and Bill Wiltshire, also performers on the barn dance. Charles was taken to a Fredericksburg
hospital but died on the morning of October 18.
His actual date of birth could be in question. His obituary and his gravestone indicate his date of birth was April 28, 1925.
However, the 1930 U. S. Census records for the Aderhold family show that he was three years old, indicating he may have
been born in 1927. The 1940 census records indicate an "estimated birth year" of 1926. His World War II draft card
shows his birth date as April 28, 1925 and was signed on April 28, 1943.
It is possible he listed an earlier date
of birth to qualify to serve in the armed forces. To confuse matters even more, the Certificate of Death issued
by the Commonwealth of Virginia listed his date of birth as April 20, 1924.
On Monday, November 22, 1948, the entire cast of the WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance along with
Eddie Weaver (The Grace Street Hillbilly, appearing courtesy of Loews Theatre) and the original Tobacco Tags
gave a benefit show for Slim Idaho. Dallas Ketcham, who was a bit of a student of Slim's was to feature
several of Slim's original tunes and arrangements for the steel guitar. Crazy Joe Maphis and Red Murphy were
to provide a few of the comedy skits that were favorites of Slim. The services of the musicians, theater, ushers
and stage hands were donated and the proceeds from the performance were to be presented to Idaho's wife, Mary. All
seats were reserved for this 2:00 pm show at $1.25.
He was survived by his wife, Mary Wade Aderhold. They had no children.
Credits & Sources
- Dewey Hubbard Aderhold; Born: April 20, 1924; Died: October 17, 1948; Ancestry.com; Virginia Death Records;
- Dewey Hubbard Aderhold; Born: April 28, 1925; WWII Draft Registration: April 28, 1943; Anderson, SC
- Radio Spotlight; Decenber 26, 1942; The Atlanta Journal; Atlanta, GA
- Radio Spotlight; January 9, 1943; The Atlanta Journal; Atlanta, GA
- Radio Spotlight; January 23, 1943; The Atlanta Journal; Atlanta, GA
- Barn Dancers Go To Town; Ernest Rogers; August 7, 1943; The Atlanta Journal; Atlanta, GA
- Personal: Dance; May 13, 1943; The Index-Journal; Greenwood, SC
- Grand Ole Opry Coming Here; September 28, 1946; The Tampa Times; Tampa, FL
- Arkansas Cotton Pickers Here Friday; January 30, 1947; Southern Democrat; Oneonta, AL
- Cotton Pickers Appear At School; February 2, 1947; The Selma Times-Journa; Selma, AL
- Paul Howard and his Arkansas Cotton Pickers; February 13, 1947; The Monroe Journal; Monroe, AL
- Paul Howard and his Arkansas Cotton Pickers; February 13, 1947; The Choctaw Advocate; Butler, AL
- Marian's Airings; Marian Lee Hall; April 1947; National Hillbilly News; Poster Show Print Co.; Huntington, WV
- 'Slim' Idaho Joins Show Here Tonight; June 21, 1947; The Richmond Times-Dispatch; Richmond, VA
- Slim Idaho; September 5, 1947; The Richmond News Leader; Richmond, VA
- Show To Honor Slim Idaho; November 22, 1948; The Richmond Times-Dispatch; Richmond, VA
- Grand Ole Opry Is To Be Given Here On Monday; March 6, 1947; Washington Court House Record-Herald; Washington Court House, OH
- Grand Ole Opry Is Here Tuesday; March 10, 1947; Lancaster Eagle-Gazette; Lancaster, OH
- Eight Persons Die As Result Of Accidents; October 18, 1948; The Richmond Times-Dispatch; Richmond, VA
- 'Slim Idaho,' Radio Star, Dies In Crash; October 18, 1948; The Richmond News-Leader; Richmond, VA
- Brief News Around The State - Radio Singer, Another Kill; October 18, 1948; The Daily Press; Newport News, VA
- Radio Singer Dies In Crash; October 18, 1948; The Bristol Herald-Courier; Bristol, TN
- Obituary: Charles H. Wiltshire; October 19, 1948; The Richmond Times-Dispatch; Richmond, VA
- Local Singer Fourth From Top In Popularity Survey; July 8, 1951; The Greenville News; Greenville, SC
- The Nashville Sound; Ginger Willis; May 1964; Issue No. 84; Country Song Roundup; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT
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