BOB NICHOLS
Bob Nichols was a recording pseudonym used by Clayton McMichen (1900–1970) for a number of vocal recordings made for Columbia between 1927 and 1931. Better known as one of the greatest fiddlers of early country music and a founding member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers, McMichen adopted the Bob Nichols name primarily for sentimental ballads and popular songs that differed from his old-time string band repertoire
THE GRAVE IN THE PINES
Recorded April 15, 1930 – Atlanta, Georgia
Matrix 150404-2 - Columbia 15590-D
"Grave in the Pines" is an early commercial version of the traditional ballad more commonly known as "In the Pines" or "Black Girl." Long before the song became associated with Lead Belly and later folk and bluegrass performers, it circulated widely throughout the American South in many different forms. Bob Nichols' recording preserves one of the song's most haunting variants, emphasizing loss and remembrance rather than the better-known railroad verses. His understated guitar accompaniment perfectly complements the sombre atmosphere of the ballad.
