Biography:Willie Narmour

WILLIE NARMOUR (1889-1961). William Thomas Narmour was born in Ackerman, Mississippi, in 1889 but moved with his family as a young boy to Carroll County in the central part of the state, where he lived the remainder of his life. His father was a fiddler and his first mentor. In 1927 Narmour was heard by an Okeh Records scout at the 1927 Winona Fiddle Contest, and he and his playing partner, Shellie Smith (1895-1968) on guitar, were invited to record for the company. Their recordings proved popular (their "Carroll County Blues" was one of the best-selling records of 1929), particularly in the southwest and west, and even in Mexico, and they remained with Okeh records until the collapse of the company in the early 1930's. Thereafter, they signed with Victor Records, and in 1934 the duo re-recorded sixteen of their most popular sides and toured.

The Depression caused many of the 1920's and early 1930's old-time music artists to cease recording, but Narmour and Smith lasted longer than others. After 1934 Narmour went back to farming, driving a school bus and operating a garage in Avalon, while Smith became a school custodian. Smith did not play in public again, but Narmour continued to play locally.