The Professional Work of Carl John Sauceman Brothers
Carl Sauceman (Mar. 6, 1922 ~ Jan. 28, 2005). John Paul "J.P." Sauceman (1926-1984). The Sauceman Brothers were among the early pioneers of Bluegrass music. Carl grew up in the Bright Hope community near Greeneville, Tennessee (TN), where his father was a noted sacred singer with many of the revivals that took place in the area. By the late 30's, Carl took an interest in music and was following local string bands. With this musical background, Carl began to hone his singing skills and guitar playing.
In 1941, Carl teamed up with Dudley Watson and Curley Shelton and they began working on radio at WISE in Asheville, North Carolina (NC) and then at WHKY Hickory, NC. Wartime rationing hampered their ability to continue their shows, but they finally got on at WNOX Knoxville, TN briefly and for a longer stretch at WWNC Asheville, NC. Early in 1945 Carl went into the U.S. Navy and was discharged near the end of 1946. Carl returned to Asheville, NC briefly and then took a new assignment with station, WGRV in Greenville, TN. By this time, Carl had formed a band called the Hillbilly Ramblers.
The Sauceman Brothers cut their first records for Rich-R-Tone. They cut four sides and J.P. did a Country single. In between the two Rich-R-Tone sessions, they recorded one single as the Hillbilly Ramblers for Mercury. One of their Rich-R-Tone sessions included among the sidemen such notables as Carl Butler, Joe Stuart, and Tater Tate.
The Sauceman Brothers left Greenville, NC for WROL Knoxville, TN in 1948, where they spent a year working for supermarket tycoon Cas Walker. They then went to Detroit briefly before going to Bristol's WCYB, where they remained for a couple of years working on the Farm And Fun Time program, where they shared the limelight with such luminaries as the Stanley Brothers and Curly King.
At the beginning of 1952, Carl took his Green Valley Boys south to WRAG Carrollton, Alabama (AL) where he spent ten years and signed a contract with Capitol. The boys in his band at various times included Tater Tate, Joe Stuart, Curly Seckler, Don McHan, Fred Richardson, Buddy Rose, and Monroe Fields. In 1954, they switched over to Republic, where their recordings of A White Cross Marks The Grave and I'll Be An Angel Too, generated a pair of McHan originals and all-time Bluegrass classics.
The Green Valley Boys pioneered Bluegrass in that area of the country and once it caught on they gained popularity with three weekly TV shows and a radio program. Carl also worked as a deejay at WRAG in Carrollton. J.P. eventually went back to Greenville, NC and went into radio management. Carl's group worked out of Carrollton, AL until the end of 1962. In the latter period he cut a few sides for N Records, a local label in Alabama and a few more for Pappy Dailey's D Records. Their best song for Dailey, Please Be My Love, a Monroe Fields original-later became a minor classic by George Jones and Melba Montgomery.
In 1962 Carl Sauceman quit show business, he had become part owner of the station, but his youngest son, Jerry, had a terminal illness and Carl felt he needed to devote full attention to him. After 1964, friends urged him to become musically active again, but he resisted the temptation. Carl Sauceman came to Gonzales, Louisiana in 1969 as owner and General Manager of WSLG radio. The business prospered and he sold the station and retired in 1985.
Carl returned toCarrollton for a once-a-year get-together and performed three or four shows annually. He cut a new album for Rich-R-Tone in 1976 and a reunion effort for Atteiram in 1977 with one-time sideman Joe Stuart. Rebel released a few transcription cuts from WCYB on a Farm And Fun Time anthology album and Rounder did a collection of most of his pioneeringBluegrass efforts. Carl died at his home inGonzales,Louisiana
Discography of Carl Sauceman
D Records Sessions
- Covin Hill Rag
- Never Say Bye Bye
- I Walk A Lonely Street
- Please Be My Love
- Love Divided By Three
- Lonely Waltz
Mercury Records Sessions
- Please Don't Make Me Cry
- YourTrouble Ways
- Someone's Last Day
- The Pale Horse And His Rider
- Someone's Last Day
- The Pale Horse And His Rider
- Everytime Somebody Calls Your Name
