10 Facts About Henry Whitter

William Henry Whitter was an early old-time recording artist in the United States.

Henry Whitter first performed as a solo singer, guitarist and harmonica player, and later in partnership with the fiddler G B Grayson.

Henry Whitter recorded the first version of "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad".

Henry Whitter learned to play the guitar from an early age, and later on, the fiddle, banjo, harmonica and piano.

Henry Whitter found work in a cotton mill called "Fries Washington Mill", but through the years from 1923 to 1926, he frequently took time off to record.

Henry Whitter claimed that his first session was in March 1923 in New York City for Okeh Records, which would have made him the first truly country singer to record, a few months before Fiddlin' John Carson.

Henry Whitter was the first to record the harmonica tunes "Lost John" and "Fox Chase".

Henry Whitter recorded cover versions of hits by other performer's such as Uncle Dave Macon's "Keep My Skillet Good And Greasy" and Kelly Harrell's "I Wish I Was Single Again".

Also in 1927, Whitter met the blind fiddler G B Grayson at a fiddlers' convention in Mountain City, Tennessee.

Henry Whitter died of diabetes in Morganton, North Carolina, in 1941.