title
A resolution honoring the life of Carlos DeFord Bailey.
body
WHEREAS, Carlos DeFord Bailey was a Nashville native, born in 1959. He died on November 3, 2025. Carlos DeFord Bailey was a skilled singer and harmonica player, raised in a family of musicians, including country music pioneer DeFord Bailey, and Nashville blues legend DeFord Bailey, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, from an early age, Carlos DeFord Bailey was a natural performer, first picking up a harmonica at five years old. He performed in local talent shows, PTA meetings, community centers, and as a part of school and church choirs. He remained a member of the Greater Bethel Church choir as long as his health allowed; and
WHEREAS, Carlos DeFord Bailey fought to secure the legacy of his grandfather DeFord Bailey, the first Black member of the Grand Ole Opry. Carlos DeFord Bailey successfully advocated to have his grandfather inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and spearheaded the campaign to rename part of Horton Avenue near Music Row and Edgehill to DeFord Bailey Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Carlos DeFord Bailey participated in twenty-six educational programs at the Country Music Hall of Fame, teaching harmonica and speaking on the influence of Black musicians in country music; and
WHEREAS, he was a great musician in his own right, having performed on the Grand Ole Opry stage on several occasions. He also showcased at the National Museum of African American Music; and
WHEREAS, later in life, Carlos DeFord Bailey spent his time teaching harmonica around Nashville and Davidson County and mentoring musicians. As a part of the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program from the Tennessee Arts Commission, he taught his family's style of country and blues harmonica; and
WHEREAS, Carlos DeFord Bailey also worked as a shoe shiner with a shop in Nashville International Airport and on Woodmont Boulevard. His song "Music City Shoeshine Man" exemplified his love of both of his crafts; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting an...
Click here for full text