MARKER HONORS DEFORD BAILEY
MARKER HONORS DEFORD BAILEY
A gifted harmonica player, DeFord Bailey was, for several decades, the only African American star of the Grand Ole Opry.
His playing bridged rural black and white music with unsurpassed artistry.
He navigated the era’s racial politics with dignity, and, after twenty years in obscurity, was accorded belated recognition.
Born on a farm near Bellwood, DeFord Bailey reported his birth date as December 14, 1899, although the 1900 Census showed January, 1900.
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