Slim Bryant
home of Pittsburgh for nearly seven decades, died Friday. He was 101.
Mr. Bryant, of Dormont, had been a local radio personality for years,
turning up at 6 a.m. daily to play during the KDKA Farm Hour regardless of
where he and his band, The Wildcats, had been the night before.
Mr. Bryant was born in Atlanta in 1908 and moved to Pittsburgh in 1940. He
never became a national star or boasted a slew of cross-over hits. But he
was respected and admired by the likes of Gene Autry and Les Paul, who
idolized him as a teenager, said Wayne Van Dine, a former KDKA-TV reporter.
And though he was a talented guitar player with historic country music
roots, he was humble and kind, said friends and family.
Mr. Bryant's son, Thomas H. Bryant II, said his father died at St. Clair
Hospital after a long illness.
In addition to his son, of Kansas City, Mr. Bryant is survived by two
grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Monday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
at the Beinhauer Family Funeral Home in Dormont. A memorial service will be
held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Dormont Presbyterian Church.
From the Post Gazette 5/29/10
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Ironically I had just submitted a short article, as a guest contributor for another blog.
If an when it runs, I will post a link here.
In addition to Slim's long radio career in Pittsburgh, it should be noted that he was a member of Clayton McMichen and the Georgia Wildcats, and was the last surviving artist to have recorded with Jimmy Rodgers, when Rodgers recorded Slim's "Mother the Queen of My Heart" in 1932.
I am including some photos of Slim.
Slim and the Wildcats
Slim and the Wildcats at KDKA
Slim at a CD signing, May 2007
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