Riley Puckett

George Riley Puckett (May 7, 1894 – July 13, 1946) was an American country music artist, best known as a member of Skillet Lickers.

His dynamic single-string guitar playing, featuring dramatic bass runs, earned for him an enviable reputation as an instrumentalist. Many aspiring guitarists who followed him have studied and copied his style. Although he was an accomplished musician on several instruments, his singing was most responsible for establishing him as an important figure in the history of country music.

Early life Puckett was born in Dallas, Georgia, United States. An incorrect treatment of his eyes using lead acetate during infancy left him blind. and continued recording together on Blue Bird Records in March 1934, in San Antonio, Texas.

Puckett was a charter member of the influential string band Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, and continued to record with the group through their last session in 1934. Puckett recorded as a solo artist into the early 1940s, creating a discography of more than 200 records on such labels as Columbia, Decca, and Bluebird. His repertoire included novelty songs, religious songs, traditional folk songs, cowboy songs, and ballads from the field of popular music.

He was one of the nationally known pioneer country music artists, who gained experience and exposure at the Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers Conventions, held in Atlanta between 1913 and 1934.

In addition to making records, he appeared in stage shows and worked on radio stations in Atlanta and other Georgia cities, as well as selected eastern and midwestern cities.

Death He died of blood poisoning on July 13, 1946, in East Point, Georgia. He had developed a pimple on his neck which turned into a boil. He ignored medical attention and continued to work until he became very ill. A doctor lanced the boil but it was too late, as sepsis had already set in, and he died in the hospital. He is buried at Enon Baptist Church.

Riley Puckett was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1986.