David "Stringbean" Akeman

David "Stringbean" Akeman

(Claw-hammer Banjo, Vocals)

• Place of Birth: Annville (Jackson County), Kentucky
  

• Date of Death: November 10, 1973

• Place of Death: Ridgetop, Tennessee

• Married: Estelle
  

Growing up in a hotbed of old-time banjo playing close to the homes of Buell Kazee, Lily Mae Ledford, and B.F. Shelton, David Akeman as a child learned banjo from his father. Joining Asa Martin's band after winning a local talent contest, Martin forgot Akeman's name onstage and referred to the tall, skinny youngun' as "Stringbean". The name stuck.

"Stringbean" Akeman played in various local bands around Lexington, Kentucky during the late 1930's and made frequent appearances on WLAP. String played semi-pro sandlot baseball in his spare time, and caught the attention of Bill Monroe, who sponsored and played semi-pro ball himself. Monroe hired String on the strength of his baseball skills, not even knowing he was a skilled banjoist as well. String played with Monroe for three years contributing banjo to Monroe classics such as "True Life Blues" and "Footprints In The Snow".

Copying a costume he had seen worn by comedian Slim Miller at Renfro Valley, String began performing with Lew Childre on the Grand Ole Opry. At the Opry, he met and befriended Uncle Dave Macon, who shared songs and playing tips with String and eventually gave him one of his banjos. String appeared regularly on the popular "Prince Albert" portion of the Opry hosted by Red Foley, and also began a long friendship with Louis "Grandpa" Jones, another Opry claw-hammer banjo player.

In 1960, Stringbean's first solo album, "Old Time Banjo Pickin' and Singin'" was released on Starday. String also released a tribute album to Uncle Dave Macon on Starday. In 1968, Stringbean was invited to join the cast of a summer-replacement rural comedy program called "Hee-Haw". Although the show was not expected by the networks to be popular, it quickly became one of the biggest hits in television history, making Stringbean and his hang-dog demeanor and dead-pan delivery famous worldwide.

On the evening of November 10, 1973, Stringbean and his wife Estelle arrived at their cabin home and surprised burglars, who shot them both to death. Grandpa Jones who lived on the property next door, noticing there was no smoke coming from the Akemans' chimney, arrived at the house early the next morning expecting to go hunting with 'String, but instead discovered their bodies. Twenty-three years later in 1996, subsequent residents of the house discovered thousands of dollars that Stringbean had hidden within the walls of the house near the chimney