Cousin Emmy
Cousin Emmy | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Cynthia May Carver |
| Born | March 14, 1903 |
| Origin | Lamb, Barren County, Kentucky |
| Died | April 11, 1980 (aged 77) Sherman Oaks, California |
| Genres | Old-time music |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | banjo, fiddle |
| Years active | 1930s–1960s |
| Labels | Decca Folkways |
| Formerly of | Cousin Emmy and Her Kinfolk |
Cynthia May Carver (March 14, 1903 – April 11, 1980), known professionally as Cousin Emmy, was a banjo player, fiddler and country singer who was one of the pioneering solo female stars in the country music industry. Although hit records eluded her, she proved to be a major name in personal appearances and on radio in the 1940s and 50s. In the 1960s she gained a new audience on the folk music circuit. Her song "Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man?" became a bluegrass standard after it was covered by the Osborne Brothers. She started out her career by playing with Frankie Moore's Log Cabin Boys. She influenced the playing of Grandpa Jones. She appeared in two films, Swing in the Saddle and The Second Greatest Sex.