Document Records, which specializes in releasing the complete recordings of early recording artists, has just released its first vinyl LP to mark a century since the first recording of the Skillet Lickers. All previous Document recordings were issued as CDs, primarily of blues and jazz, but also of old-time music in their 8000 series. For example, I have six Document CDs of all recordings of the Skillet Lickers. This LP has been released in a limited edition of 300 copies with 12 tracks. You can order it here . There is also a digital download that comes with it with a booklet and bonus tracks.

The core line-up included Clayton McMichen, Gid Tanner, and Bert Lane on fiddle, Fate Norris on banjo, and Riley Puckett on guitar. they were from north Georgia. Their first 78 RPM release included “Bully of the Town” and “Pass Around he Bottle and We’ll All Take a Drink.” It sold 207,149 copies, which was phenomenal at that time.

The tunes included are “The Old Grey Mare,” “Hand Me Down My Walking Cane,” “Bully of the Town,” “Shortening Bread,” “Pass Around the Bottle and We’ll All Take a Drink,” “Alabama Jubilee,” “Don’t You Hear Jerusalem Moan,” “Dance All Night with a Bottle in Your Hand,” “Casey Jones,” “I Dont Love Nobody,” “Old Joe Clark,” and “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain.”

The sleeve features rare period photographs and original Columbia Records advertising from the 1920s.

More Than an LP — A Centenary Collection

Every LP includes access via QR code to a specially created digital centenary collection:

• The complete album as a digital audio download
• 100 Years of The Skillet Lickers by Russ Tanner — a richly illustrated history by Gid Tanner’s great-grandson and present-day Skillet Licker. Also included is a specially narrated audio edition.
• Gid Tanner’s Digital Entertainment Scrapbook, 1905–1952 by Richard Bowman — a remarkable illustrated collection of historic photographs, advertisements and ephemera, with an accompanying audio presentation.

1926–2026. One hundred years of music, history and a living family tradition — only 300 copies worldwide.

Document Records was founded by Johnny Parth in 1986 in Austria. It was later sold to people in the United Kingdom who run it now.