Tarheel Slim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tarheel Slim
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Allen Rathel Bunn |
| Also known as | Allen Bunn Alden Bunn Allen Baum |
| Born | September 24, 1923 Bailey, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | August 21, 1977 (aged 53) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Gospel, blues, doowop, R&B, pop, rockabilly |
| Occupations | Singer, guitarist, songwriter |
| Years active | c.1940–1963, c.1970–1977 |
| Associated acts | The Selah Jubilee Singers The Larks The Lovers Tarheel Slim and Little Ann Slim and Ann |
Allen Rathel Bunn (born September 24, 1923 – died August 21, 1977) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was also known as Alden Bunn and performed under the name Tarheel Slim. He played many types of music, including gospel, blues, doowop, R&B, pop, and rockabilly. He started singing in gospel groups, then joined a band called The Larks. Later, he recorded music with his wife, Anna Lee "Little Ann" Sandford, and also as a solo artist.
Contents
The Musical Journey of Tarheel Slim
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Allen Bunn was born in Bailey, North Carolina. He sometimes used the name "Alden" and sometimes "Allen." Records show his birth name was Allen. When he was young, he worked in tobacco fields.
In the early 1940s, Allen started singing with gospel groups. These included the Gospel Four and the Selah Jubilee Singers. In the Selah Jubilee Singers, he joined the group's founder, Thermon Ruth. Allen sang the baritone part and was a second lead singer. He also played the guitar for the group.
Forming The Larks and Chart Success
In 1949, Thermon Ruth and Allen Bunn decided to create a new singing group. This group would sing secular music, not just gospel. They first called themselves the Jubilators. In 1950, they recorded for four different record labels in New York, using four different names on the same day!
They finally settled on the name The Larks. Their song "Eyesight to the Blind" was released on the Apollo label. Allen sang lead vocals and played guitar on this song. It became a hit, reaching number 5 on the Billboard R&B chart in July 1951. Their next song, "Little Side Car," also sung by Allen, reached number 10 on the R&B chart later that year. The Larks then went on tour with famous musicians like Percy Mayfield and Mahalia Jackson. Allen Bunn lived in New York City from 1950 for the rest of his life.
Solo Career and The Lovers
In early 1952, Allen Bunn left The Larks to start a solo career. He first recorded blues music for Apollo Records. He was joined by musicians Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. In 1953, he moved to Bobby Robinson's Red Robin label. At this time, he was sometimes called "Alden Bunn" or "Allen Baum."
Around 1955, Allen married Anna Lee Sandford (1935–2004). They began singing together as The Lovers for the Lamp label. This label was part of Aladdin Records. Their first song together, "Darling It's Wonderful," was written by Allen. It became a hit in 1957. It reached number 15 on the R&B chart and number 48 on the Billboard pop chart. Allen also managed and recorded with other groups, like the Wheels and the Federals.
Becoming Tarheel Slim
In 1958, Allen Bunn started recording solo again in New York. This time, he used the name Tarheel Slim. He recorded for producer Bobby Robinson's Fury label. His first songs for Fury were "Wildcat Tamer" and "Number 9 Train." These songs are known as "rockabilly raveups" and important New York rock'n'roll songs. Both songs featured guitarist Jimmy Spruill along with Tarheel Slim.
Even though these songs were great, they were not big hits at the time. Later, Tarheel Slim's recordings for Robinson's Fire and Fury labels were often credited to "Tarheel Slim and Little Ann." Their first song for Fire, "It's Too Late," was a sad song with Slim's guitar and Ann's crying at the end. It reached number 20 on the R&B chart in 1959. This song was also released on the Checker label. Tarheel Slim and Little Ann recorded many different styles of music, including rockabilly. However, none of their later songs became big commercial successes. They recorded briefly for Atco Records in 1963, then stopped performing together for a while.
Later Years and Legacy
In the early 1970s, Tarheel Slim was "rediscovered" by a researcher named Peter B. Lowry. He started playing solo again, using an acoustic guitar, similar to how Brownie McGhee played. He performed at music festivals and for college audiences.
He recorded an album called No Time At All, which was released on Trix Records in 1975. The pianist Big Chief Ellis played on some of the songs. Tarheel Slim also played with John Cephas on Big Chief Ellis's album in 1977.
Tarheel Slim passed away in 1977 at the age of 53 due to an illness.
