Country Musician, Comedian. Born in Conasauga, Tennessee, he was a comedian, mandolin player, better known by his stage name 'Jethro' with his partner Henry D. Haynes as the comedic musical duo, "Homer and Jethro" (1936-89). In 1936, he auditioned for a talent contest at radio station WNOX Knoxville, where he met Henry Haynes and formed the duo "Homer and Jethro," to perform on a WNOX program. After serving in the US Army in Europe, during World War II, he returned and reunited with Haynes in 1945. In 1947, the duo moved to Ohio, working on station WLN's "Midwestern Hay Ride," were signed to RCA Records n 1949 and won a Grammy for best comedy performance for "The Battle of Kookamonga," in 1959. By the 1970s, Burns' mandolin playing influence had spread to a younger generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians, which also opened up a new audience to "Homer and Jethro" listeners. After Haynes died in 1971, Burns's regular musical partner was guitarist Ken Edison and they continued to perform as "Homer and Jethro." After the partnership ended, Burns continued to play, doing recordings on albums with other artists, was a master teacher of mandolin jazz and appeared on the TV series "Hee Haw." He died of cancer at age 68 in Evanston, Illinois, and was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
Country Musician, Comedian. Born in Conasauga, Tennessee, he was a comedian, mandolin player, better known by his stage name 'Jethro' with his partner Henry D. Haynes as the comedic musical duo, "Homer and Jethro" (1936-89). In 1936, he auditioned for a talent contest at radio station WNOX Knoxville, where he met Henry Haynes and formed the duo "Homer and Jethro," to perform on a WNOX program. After serving in the US Army in Europe, during World War II, he returned and reunited with Haynes in 1945. In 1947, the duo moved to Ohio, working on station WLN's "Midwestern Hay Ride," were signed to RCA Records n 1949 and won a Grammy for best comedy performance for "The Battle of Kookamonga," in 1959. By the 1970s, Burns' mandolin playing influence had spread to a younger generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians, which also opened up a new audience to "Homer and Jethro" listeners. After Haynes died in 1971, Burns's regular musical partner was guitarist Ken Edison and they continued to perform as "Homer and Jethro." After the partnership ended, Burns continued to play, doing recordings on albums with other artists, was a master teacher of mandolin jazz and appeared on the TV series "Hee Haw." He died of cancer at age 68 in Evanston, Illinois, and was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
