# Stranger Malone

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**Kasper Delmar "Stranger" Malone**[1] (born October 25, 1909, near [Lovelaceville, Kentucky](/source/Lovelaceville,_Kentucky) – May 30, 2005, in [Rome, Georgia](/source/Rome,_Georgia)[2]) was an American musician. Malone's career as a recording artist spanned 77 years and, according to his biographer George King, is recognized as the longest by the [Guinness World Records](/source/Guinness_World_Records).[3] His first recording, eight [78 rpm](/source/Gramophone_record#78_rpm_disc_developments) sides, was made by [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records) in 1926; his last one, with the Little Country Giants on their debut album Breaking Hearts and Living Free, in 2005. Malone was one of the first documented [clarinet](/source/Clarinet) players in [country music](/source/Country_music).[2]

## Recording career

Malone was born on a farm near [Paducah, Kentucky](/source/Paducah,_Kentucky) and christened as Kanoy. Later, when he obtained a [birth certificate](/source/Birth_certificate), he preferred to change his first name to Kasper.[1][3] He started playing the [cornet](/source/Cornet) the age of three. At the age of fifteen he left home, and joined a band of traveling musicians playing in [silent movie](/source/Silent_movie) theaters in [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)). He learned the trade of playing [clarinet](/source/Clarinet) and in 1926 joined [Gid Tanner](/source/Gid_Tanner) and His Skillet-Lickers. In the same year [Clayton McMichen](/source/Clayton_McMichen) and Malone left Tanner and set up *The Melody Men*. On November 4, 1926, they made their recording debut, *[Let Me Call You Sweetheart](/source/Let_Me_Call_You_Sweetheart)*.[2] The band continued recording twice a year, first on a mobile rig sent from [New York City](/source/New_York_City), and since 1928 at Columbia's permanent studio in [Atlanta, Georgia](/source/Atlanta,_Georgia).[3] According to Malone himself, the nickname *Stranger* was inspired by a yell from the crowd: "Who in the world is that little stranger playing the hell out of that [saxophone](/source/Saxophone)?".[4]

In 1929 Malone left Georgia for [St. Louis, Missouri](/source/St._Louis,_Missouri) and joined [Schnitz Seymour](/source/Schnitz_Seymour)'s *Miniature Circus*.[2][5] The band was soon dissolved.[3] Malone formed his own band in [Kansas](/source/Kansas), then joined [Jim Story Band](/source/Jim_Story_Band) in [Nebraska](/source/Nebraska).[3] In 1931 he played clarinet, [flute](/source/Flute) and [double bass](/source/Double_bass) for the [WNAX](/source/WNAX_(AM)) orchestra in [Yankton, South Dakota](/source/Yankton,_South_Dakota) and hosted his own radio show.[3] For the next decade he continued travelling all over the country, including a tour with the [SS *Coolidge*](/source/SS_President_Coolidge) cruise liner in 1934.[3] During [World War II](/source/World_War_II) he performed with [Phil Harris](/source/Phil_Harris) for the USS Maritime Service Band.[3]

In 1953 Malone joined [Jack Teagarden](/source/Jack_Teagarden)'s All Stars and toured with this band for three years playing double bass and flute.[3] After leaving Teagarden Malone briefly played in [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas,_Nevada) and then accepted an offer from the [University of Arizona](/source/University_of_Arizona) to join their staff and play principal bass at the [Tucson Symphony Orchestra](/source/Tucson_Symphony_Orchestra).[3] He taught at the university for thirteen years and also played with the [Denver Symphony](/source/Denver_Symphony_Orchestra) and the [San Francisco Symphony](/source/San_Francisco_Symphony).[1]

In 1973 he moved to [Germany](/source/Germany) and settled there for twenty years, living by private music lessons. In 1993 he returned to the United States and, after a series of setbacks, found a job with the [Rome Symphony Orchestra](/source/Rome_Symphony_Orchestra) and moved to Rome, Georgia.[3][6] He settled in the center of the town one block from the former movie theater where he had played in 1925.[3] He continued playing, performing more than 100 times in 2004.[4] Off stage, Malone was a book collector and a lifelong student of classic literature, history and philosophy.[4]

In 2004 Malone received the Founder's Award of the [Country Music Hall of Fame](/source/Country_Music_Hall_of_Fame).[3]

## References

1. *[Mr. Kasper Delmar "Stranger" Malone (obituary)](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=20050602&id=MN4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wzsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6605,241715)*. Rome News-Tribune, 2005, June 2. Retrieved 2010-05-26.

1. Russell, Tony (2005, August 4). *[Stranger Malone (obituary)](https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/aug/04/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1)*. [The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian). Retrieved 2010-05-26.

1. King, George (2007). *[Kasper 'Stranger' Malone, A Brief Biography](http://www.georgeking-assoc.com/malone_bio.html)*. George King and Associates. Retrieved 2010-05-26.

1. Walburn, Lee (2005, July). *[Encore. Stranger Malone](https://books.google.com/books?id=pw8AAAAAMBAJ)*. Atlanta Magazine. pp. 60-63. Retrieved 2010-05-25.

1. His brother lived in St. Louis - King.

1. According to King, Malone by this time had to rely on public transportation, which limited his choices of the living environment.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stranger Malone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Malone) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Malone?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.