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Slim Bryant was a country guitarist and songwriter with a
performance career stretching back over 75 years. He was known by
many Pittsburghers for having performed on the first television program to
air in this city, a musical variety show broadcast live on WDTV (later to
become KDKA TV) from the Syria Mosque in Oakland in 1949.
Thomas Hoyt "Slim" Bryant was born in Atlanta,
Georgia, on December 7, 1908. His father was an electrician who played
old-time fiddle, and his mother was an amateur poet who sang, played guitar
and piano. Slim's music career took off in 1931 when he joined up with
Clayton McMichen and the band that would soon become The Georgia
Wildcats.
Bryant and his band came to Pittsburgh's KDKA radio in August, 1940 and
played on "The Farm Show'' every morning until 1959. The group
harmonized, sometimes crooned and could play styles from ballads to polkas
to novelties. "We played, gave news and market reports for the
farmers,'' he explained. It was a time when the radio and record industry were
young, and automobiles were making it possible for itinerant musicians to
tour like never before. They were part of the first generation of country
music "professionals" who could earn a living in the recording and
performing business.
Bryant was also
best known for his recording days with the legendary
country singer Jimmie Rodgers, who died in 1933. Rodgers recorded Bryant's
song "Mother, the Queen of My Heart," on Oct. 21, 1932 with Bryant
accompanying him on guitar. The song has since been done by singers ranging
from George Gobel to Merle Haggard. In addition to the Georgia Wildcats and
Jimmie Rodgers, Bryant has performed with The Skillet Lickers, Gene Autry,
Eddy Arnold, Tex Ritter, Les Paul, Joe Negri, Burl Ives, Rosemary Clooney
and Snooky Lanson, many of them he still counts as friends.
 Slim Bryant
has written about 200 songs, including country western
standards, as well as jingles for ad agencies. With his Wildcats he recorded
hundreds of songs for a variety of labels, more than 180 of them at NBC in
New York. A CD recording featuring Slim's music was released in the Spring
of 2007. The CD contains 31 songs that were recorded more than a
half-century ago. Slim wrote music and or words for a number of them, among
the tunes are these titles: "Thunderstorm" "Penny Ante
Polka" and "My Saddle, My Bronco and You.''
When the music business slowed in the early 1960's Slim and his
wife Mary Jane opened a card shop and a basement studio on Potomac Avenue in
Dormont. Mrs. Bryant died of a
neurological disease in 1987.
On his 100th birthday, Slim was honored at an open
celebration at his church, Dormont Presbyterian.
Follow these links for more about the life of Hoyt "Slim" Bryant:
WQED Multimedia TV OnQ
Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review, May 19, 2007
Vintage country recordings released on CD
Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, May 10, 2007
Slim Bryant, 98, returning to country music with CD
Pittsburgh Magazine December 2006
Our Own Country Music Legend Turns 98 This Month
Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, August 11, 2002
A Life in tune The real Slim's heyday
(This site has some audio clips of Slim's songs, and interview)
The
Old Time Herald Vol. 8, No. 5
The Varied Musical Career of Slim Bryant—93 Years Young
Thomas Hoyt Slim Bryant -
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clayton McMichen and his Georgia Wildcats on their
first visit to KDKA in 1931.
From left: Pat Berryman, Clayton McMichen, Johnny Barfield and Slim Bryant.
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DeFord
Bailey: 
Carter
Family Documentary Aired on PBS: American Experience