Ralph Peer, a field recording engineer and A&R representative for Victor Records, went on a scouting trip to Bristol, Tennessee.

The three Carters drove there to audition, and Ralph Peer of Victor Records was impressed.

Anyone could become the Ralph Peer or Sam Phillips of the genre (compensating and not exploiting the artists).

January 19 - Ralph Peer, 67, pioneer in record engineering and production (pneumonia).

May 22 - Ralph Peer, talent scout and pioneering recording executive and producer (d. 1960).

The man in charge of the sessions, Ralph Peer, described them as country people "from way back there," dressed in overalls and calico.

The earliest such recordings were crude, undertaken in the 1920s and 1930s, beginning with Ralph Peer in 1923.

Their son, Ralph Peer, II joined the firm in the late 60s and became CEO in 1980.

Their songs were first captured at a historic recording session in Bristol on August 1, 1927, where Ralph Peer was the talent scout and sound recordist.

For OKeh they recorded only the on 1925 session produced by Ralph Peer.