Jay Hammond
And The D.J.'s
I'm An Ape
Wheelhoss Records W.H.R. #501
1971
Jamestown, Kentucky
Russell County musician William Jay Hammond was born December 30,
1930. Music was an everyday thing around the Hammond home. After a
long day, the family alwaus gathered after supper to sing songs on
the front porch. Gospel songs from memory filled the air without the
aid of musical instruments. The Hammond family was too poor to own
expensive pieces of equipments.
As soon as Jay
could afford one, he bought himself a guitar. Without the aid of
lessons, he soon taught himself the basics he needed in order to play
this instrument.
Jay joined the U.S.
Army and served in Korea during the Korean War. Upon return from
miliary service, he was quick to gather with other local musicians
and form a bluegrass band in 1955 called Jay Hammond and the DJ’s.
The term « DJ’s » became a part of the group’s name
because all but one of the member’s first names started with a D or
a J. The group included Jay as guitarist and lead singer ;
Delmer « Dynamite » Russell, guitar and backup vocals ;
Jimmy Wariner, lead guitar ; Davis Wariner, bass ;
and Codel Burchett, drummer. From time to time, others filled in and
were considered to also be a part of the band. The latter included
Roy Wariner and his ten-year old son, Steve, who went to
become a leading country music professional.
Although group
members were working in Noblesville, Indiana, at the time, their
first public performance was a barn dance at the Eli community in
Russell County. They drove down from Indiana and were paid five
dollars each for their musical performance. Soon thereafter, Jay
Hammond and the DJ’s were regular guests at the Lake Cumberland
Jamboree at the county fairgrounds. They also won a spot on WBKO TV
in Bowling Green on Saturday nights. Steve Wariner was playing drums
for the group at the time.
In the early 1960s,
Jay married Glenna Neat of Columbia, Adair county. They had five
children vetween 1962 and 1972, thus slowing downJay’s music
business. He worked through the week but continued to play music on
weekends. He also expanded his music career as he began writing his
own songs and publishing them. He created Wheelhoss Publishing
Company in order to publish his songs. He also paired up with June
Campbell Brewster and Roy Wariner to write songs and add music.
Other members who
played with Jay’s bluegrass band included Glenna Hammond, Imogene
Wooten, and Pat Thompson, who were Russell County residents and who
sang backup. Part-time members included the Corbin Twins, Kay and
Winston McGowan, Jean Gibson, Joe Thompson, Beckham Collins, June
Campbell, Fred Russell, Kenny Wariner, Roy Wariner, and Steve
Wariner.
Jay Hammond and the
DJ’s were regular performers at White Swan Jamboree, Lake
Cumberland Jamboree, WAIN Radio in Coumbia, WBKO Channel 13 in
Bowling Green, WJRS Radio in Russell County, and Independance Day
Celebration in Jamestown.
Jay Hammond died in
March 1983 after two heart attacks.
[Info from Grassroots Music In The Upper Cumberland, William Lynwood
Montell ; 2006]
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