Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys WSM Grand Ole Opry WWVA Original Jamboree WALB Albany, GA WCHS Charleston, WV WDBJ Roanoke, VA WMAZ Macon, GA WNOX Knoxville, TN WPTF Raleigh, NC WROM Rome, GA WSM Nashville, TN WWVA Wheeling, WV WROL Knoxville, TN (1940)

About The Group The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys made quite a name for themselves along the way. The band takes their name from the area where they were born, Happy Valley in Tennessee. The boys came from a family of talented musicians that got them started singing and playing early on. Charles was set on being a musician early on. His first guitar cost the tidy sum of one dollar and seventy-five cents. He embarked on his musical career right out of high school, appearing on several radio stations. Danny also displayed a similar musical talent for music at an early age. However, his parents were hoping that Danny might become a doctor. But his parents sensed his interest in music was stronger and encouraged him to instead join his brother Charles who was making a name for himself. The got together and organized a band and took up the name "The Bailey Brothers and their Happy Valley Boys." In the 1950's the band had become fairly well known across the country. They began broadcasting together over radio station WROL out of Knoxville, TN in 1940. But soon afterwards Charles was called serve in the U.S. Army and was gone almost five years, spending time in India, Burma, and China. Danny was left behind to carry on the musical work. Danny Bailey and the Happy Valley Boys appeared on radio station WSM in Nashville, TN for several years. At the time, Danny was the youngest leader of any act appearing on the Grand Ole Opry. When Charles was honorably discharged in 1945, he rejoined Danny and their band at WSM and continued their successes. After 1945, the Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys worked on various radio stations. A 1946 article gives us a few more tidbits about the Bailey Brothers, then Charlie and Danny and the rest of the Happy Valley Boys. The author of the article Juanita Milligan tells readers that she had seen the band at a packed house in the Maryville Armory. By that time, they had been on WSM for a couple of years. But had moved to WCHS in Charleston, WV where they were doing a daily morning show at 5:30am. Playing with the Bailey Brothers at that performance was Ruhl Kelly, who had worked with Roy Rogers in Hollywood. In 1947, the Bailey Brothers Fan Club was being handled by Grady Hall out of Elkmont, Alabama. Early 1953 found them performing for fans on the famed WWVA Jamboree out of Wheeling, West Virginia. Timeline and Trivia Notes Group members included (in 1949 while at WPTF): Charles L. Bailey, mandolin Danny Bailey, guitar Carl Bailey, guitar Junior Tullock, bass Group members included (in 1946 while at WCHS): Charles L. Bailey, mandolin Danny Bailey, guitar Ray Brewster, guitar and mandolin Willie G. Brewster, vocals, guitar, mandolin "Cotton" Gaylon, Hawaiian guitar "Slap Happy Jake" - comedian Credits & Sources The Mountain Broadcast and Prairie Recorder; September 1946; Mountain Broadcast Pub. Co., Inc.; New York, NY National Hillbilly News; May-June 1949; Mr. & Mrs. Orville W. Via; Huntington, WV Country Song Roundup No. 22; February 1953; American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT Read More About The Group Printer Friendly Version