The Original Rhodes Show was one of the most recent inductees into the Arkansas County Music Awards (ACMA) Hall of Fame held June 7 in Conway.
The group was founded by Poughkeepsie native Ethmer Cletus “Slim” Rhodes, who formed the band in 1928 with his brothers Gilbert “Speck” Rhodes, Perry Hilburn “Dusty” and his sister, Helen Beatrice “Bea”.
The Rhodes family toured across the country entertaining and even inspiring other acts such as the Wilburn Brothers who were inducted into the ACMA Hall of Fame in 2019.
Present to accept the award on behalf of their family were Donna Rhodes Morris, Sandra Rhodes, her husband Craig Morris, and their longtime co-performer Brenda “Bear” Barnette.
“It is awesome to see The Original Rhodes Show recognized. We’re honored to be here and accept the award on behalf of our family,” said Donna Rhodes.
Sandra said the support the family has received not only for the Original Rhodes Show but also for The River Girls has been greatly appreciated.
“We grew up playing and singing in the Ozarks and the south and it’s all we’ve ever done. We’re lucky,” Sandra said.
In 2019, the Wilburn Brothers, one of the claims to fame in the small town of Hardy has were inspired by the Rhodes family.
Sandra said at one time, the families performed and traveled together.
“Pop Wilburn was inspired by the Rhodes family. He saw them playing in Hardy and said, ‘hey my family could do this and that’s what this award is for Slim, Spec, Dusty and Aunt B, the original Rhodes family that started this whole mess,” Sandra said.
When asked how the family became so musically inclined, Donna explained the Rhodes family has a legacy of music that continues to this day.
“Grandpa Rhodes made his instruments. He was a wood craftsman. He made a big bass, a banjo, a guitar, a fiddle, a taterbug mandolin and he would make an instrument and put it on the bed and say whichever [kid] learned to play it first got to keep it,” Donna said. “Grampa Rhodes was a fiddler and his family; they were all banjo players and fiddlers. He encouraged his kids to play.”
Donna said the legacy has now been passed on to the grandchildren of the original Rhodes family.
“We’re happy to have this legacy the musical legacy of our family otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this or accepting this award on behalf of our family,” Donna said. “It is also passed on to our kids, Sam Morris and Savannah Morris. Sam is with us tonight and they are following right along. They love music and are carrying on the Rhodes Legacy.”
Savannah performed during the 2019 ACMAs in Little Rock where she yodeled on the Patsy Montana Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sandra said it was a wonderful sight as her mother had yodeled with Patsy Montana while traveling during her musical career.
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