The R. Crumb Pioneers of Country Music card sets are unique and informative tributes to the cream of country music's seminal practicioners. Each performer is wonderfully rendered in full color by legendary cartoonist R. Crumb, himself an early American Music devotee.


The biggest of the three Crumb sets at 40 cards, the Pioneers of Country Music set leads with Country/Folk/Bluegrass heavy-hitters Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family. But aside from their musical virtuousity, what names! Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers, The Happy Hayseeds, Hoyt Ming and his Pep Steppers, the Buckle Busters, Log Rollers, Tar Heel Rattlers, Fox Chasers and Possum Hunters to name but a few. Richard Nevins’ cardback bios contain fascinating detail about each performer’s place in history. Also included in the set are:

Andy Palmer (of Jimmie Johnson's String Band), Eck Robertson and Family, Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers, Earl Johnson and His Dixie Entertainers, Fiddlin' Doc Roberts Trio, Ted Gossett of Red Gossett's String Band, Harry "Mac" McClintock, Dr. Humphrey Bate and His Possum Hunters, Uncle Dave Macon and His Fruit Jar Drinkers, Burnett & Rutherford, Mumford Bean and His Itawambians, Shelor Family, W.T. Narmour & S.W. Smith, The Ray Brothers, The Tennessee Ramblers, Ernest Stoneman and the Blue Ridge Corn Shuckers, The Shepherd Brothers, Taylor-Griggs Louisiana Melody Makers, Jimmie & Georgie Carter of Carter Brothers & Son, Paul Miles and his Red Fox Chasers, Roane County Ramblers, Frank Blevins and His Tar Heel Rattlers, Charlie Poole with the North Carolina Ramblers, Al Hopkins and his Buckle Busters, Fiddlin' Bob Larkin and His Music Makers, East Texas Serenaders, "Dock" Boggs, Fiddlin' Powers & Family, Red Patterson's Piedmont Log Rollers, Weems String Band, Leake County Revelers, Wilmer Watts and The Lonely Eagles, South Georgia Highballers, Happy Hayseeds and the Crockett Kentucky Mountaineers.

Nevins goes into a fair amount of detail about each performer’s recording history, often noting record labels and "firsts" for performers. There is lots of fun buried in this treasure chest of arcane country lore.



These cards are wonderfully informative, providing insights and little-known facts about each performer and the illustrations are beautiful. The set of three makes for a very desireable collectible gift for fans of early American Music or of R. Crumb.
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It is one of three sets created by R. Crumb starting with the Heroes of the Blues which was originally published in 1980.

These sets were re-released in 2004 (blues)and 2005 (jazz & country) and are generously sized at 4" x 3".