Q: Is he afraid of work?

A: No, he can lie down beside it and go to sleep.

This volume is an encyclopedia of the many country music performers who made comedy a central part of their careers. Loyal Jones offers an informative biographical sketch of each performer and many entries include a sample of the artist's humor, a recording history, and amusing anecdotal tidbits. Starting with vaudeville and radio barn dance figures like the Skillet Lickers and the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, Jones moves on to the regulars on Hee Haw and the Grand Old Opry and present-day comedians from the Austin Lounge Lizards to Jeff Foxworthy.

Jones's introductory essay discusses such topics as stock comic figures, venues for comedic performance, and benchmark performers. Throughout the volume, he places each performer squarely in the context of the country music community, its performing traditions, and each artist's place in the larger cultural milieu.

|Preface and Acknowledgments ix
Introduction to Country Music Humor 1
Encyclopedia of Humorists and Comedians 49
Sources 401
Index 409| "If Cratis Williams is the father of Appalachian Studies and Helen Lewis its mother, than I reckon Loyal Jones would have to be considered the midwife of it all. . . . This book reflects not only his disarming sense of humor, but also his meticulous attention to voluminous details, his considerable scholarship, and his substantial wisdom."—Appalachian Heritage

"Southern humor, rural comedy and its practitioners are brilliantly showcased."—The Nashville Musician

"A treasure trove of information. . . . Will make a wonderful reference book for years to come."—Bluegrass Unlimited
|Loyal Jones is the author of numerous books on Appalachian culture, including My Curious and Jocular Heroes: Tales and Tale-Spinners from Appalachia and Laughter in Appalachia: A Festival of Southern Mountain Humor. He is the former director of the Appalachian Center at Berea College.