The Blue Sky Boys
The Blue Sky Boys were Bill and Earl Bolick, brothers from the hills of North Carolina whose mandolin-and-guitar duets made them radio and recording favourites in the 1930s and 1940s.
- Members
- Bill Bolick (1917–2008), mandolin; Earl Bolick (1919–1998), guitar
- From
- West Hickory, North Carolina
- Years active
- 1935–1975
- Label
- RCA
- First record
- “Sunny Side of Life” / “Where the Soul Never Dies”
History
Bill and Earl Bolick were born and raised in West Hickory, North Carolina. Bill tried guitar and banjo before settling on mandolin, while Earl concentrated on guitar. They made their radio debut in 1935 on WWNC in Asheville as the Crazy Hickory Nuts, then moved to WGST in Atlanta in 1936. Their name came from the region's nickname, the "Land of the Blue Sky".
RCA signed them after an audition in Atlanta, and they made their first recordings in Charlotte on 16 June 1936. Their first record, "Sunny Side of Life" with "Where the Soul Never Dies", was a hit, and between 1937 and 1941 they recorded about 100 songs for RCA. They retired in 1951, but a Starday LP of their radio recordings in 1962 brought them back together, and they recorded again in the 1960s.
Selected recordings
| Year | Recording |
|---|---|
| 1963 | Together Again (Starday) |
| 1964 | Precious Moments (Starday) |
| 1966 | Presenting the Blue Sky Boys (Capitol) |
| 1973 | Sunny Side of Life (Rounder) |
| 1989 | In Concert 1964 (Rounder) |
Another great family act of the era: the Carter Family. Learn the mandolin.