Uncle Dave Macon , born David Harrison Macon—also known as "The Dixie Dewdrop"—was an American banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Known for his chin whiskers, plug hat, gold teeth, and gates-ajar collar, he gained regional fame as a vaudeville performer in the early 1920s before going on to become the first star of the Grand Ole Opry in the latter half of the decade. Macon's music is considered the ultimate bridge between 19th-century American folk and vaudeville music and the phonograph and radio-based music of the early 20th-century. Music historian Charles Wolfe... wrote, "If people call yodelling Jimmie Rodgers 'the father of country music,' then Uncle Dave must certainly be 'the grandfather of country music'." Macon's polished stage presence and lively personality have made him one of the most enduring figures of early country music. Macon was born in Smartt Station , Tennessee, the son of Confederate Captain John Macon and his wife Martha Ramsey. In 1884, when young David was 13 years old, his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee to run the Old Broadway Hotel, which they had purchased.
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| Birthdate: | October 7, 1870 |
| Birthplace: | Tennessee |
| Date of death: | March 22, 1952 |
| Also known as: | Dave Macon, Macon, Uncle Dave |