The Hill Billies

Folk / Appalachian / Hill Billy band that formed in a Galax, Virginia barbershop in 1924 by Tony Alderman, Al Hopkins and Joe Hopkins.
They stopped performing after the death of Al Hopkins in 1932.

The band had many 'firsts' including:
- First country musicians to perform in New York City;
- First band to play for a US President (Calvin Coolidge); and
- First band to appear in a movie (The Singing Fool - Al Jolson In The Singing Fool).

Original band line-up is regarded as:
Al Hopkins (Piano, Vocals)
Joe Hopkins (Guitar)
[a=John Hopkins (13)] (Banjo, Ukulele)
Tony Alderman (Fiddle)
John Rector (5 String Banjo)
Charlie Bowman (Fiddle)

Other players:
Elbert Bowman (Guitar)
Jack Reedy (Banjo)
Fred Roe
Henry Roe

The band name morphed into others over the years including:
Al Hopkins And His Buckle Busters
Al Hopkins’ Original Hill Billies (starting 21-Jan-1929)