The Phipps family was a country music group who consisted mainly of Arthur Leroy Phipps (August 12, 1916 in Knox County, Kentucky – August 30, 1995) and Kathleen Norris Helton (April 22, 1924 – November 4, 1992) with the addition of various children. They became known as interpreters of the Carter family style and they did it so well that they were labeled "Carter clones".
Contents
Biography
The family's career began shortly after the marriage between Arthur and Kathleen and they jointly decided to perform as a group. Together with Arthur's niece Hester Anderson they formed a trio. By 1943, they performed regularly and soon Hester was replaced by various Phipps children in different constellations. In 1950, they were offered a spot at radio station WCTT in Corbin, Kentucky followed by other jobs at WYWY in Barbourville, Kentucky and on the Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round at WNOX in Knoxville, Tennessee. They also made some appearances on the WWVA Jamboree. In the beginning, they had their own original style singing secular songs but since they received so many requests for Carter family songs, they adopted the Carter family style. Their first recordings were made for Acme Records.
In 1960, they recorded for Starday Records. During the 1960s, the family were part of the folk revival and they performed at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964. Shortly after recording an album for Folkways Records, Arthur formed his own label "Pine Mountain Records", later renamed "Mountain Eagle Records". Between 1962 and 1972, the Phipps family performed on radio stations such as WCKY in Cincinnati, Ohio and XEG in Monterrey, Mexico. Their extensive tours over the years took them to thirty-two US states.
Aftermath
The Phipps family disbanded in 1991 when Kathleen was diagnosed with cancer. Her health deteriorated and she went into a coma in April 1992. She died on November 4, 1992. Arthur Phipps died on August 30, 1995 when he was brutally stabbed to death in his own home by an assailant during a robbery. He was found outside his house by a son-in-law. Phipps assassin John Mills was apprehended and later convicted of murder, first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery. He was sentenced to death.