My father and brothers were coal miners.

When the Drifting Pioneers left radio station WLW leaving a half-hour hole in the schedule that needed filling Merle Grandpa Jones and the Delmore Brothers formed a gospel group called The Brown's Ferry Four. K. K.

His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. "Travis picking" a syncopated style of finger picking is named after him. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1977.