Biography

Slim Rhodes and his Mountaineers were a popular act in Memphis going back to the 1930s. So much so, that the Sun Record Company signed them to a recording contract in the 1950s.

The group got its start back in 1932, when Slim and two of his brothers formed a group while they were in high school and played such venues as the country fairs.

In a 1946 letter to the editor attributed to Slim Rhodes, he mentions they were on WMC in Memphis, Tennessee at 11:30am each day as well as the Central Quality Network, sponsored by Mother’s Best Flour. Slim said they had been with their sponsor for seven years by then.

It was written in a 1955 article we found that a state senator gave the boys their colorful nicknames after hearing them perform – Slim, Dusty and Speck.

Some may recognize the name Speck Rhodes. He played the bass fiddle then and did comedy work. Remember him now? Later in his career, he was part of Porter Wagoner’s band. And yes, Slim, Dusty and Speck were brothers.

Slim Rhodes and his Mountaineers had a weekly Saturday show over WMCT in Memphis, from 12:00 to 12:30. They also had a 30-minute show over KATV in ine Bluff, Arkansas every Tuesday.

Slim was mentioned very briefly a couple times in the book, “For the Record: Sun Records, An Oral History” by Dave Marsh, including one mention that they recorded “Romp and Stomp”.