Background
Carlisle was born in Taylorsville, Kentucky and began performing locally with cousin Lillian Truax at age 16.
Carlisle was born in Taylorsville, Kentucky and began performing locally with cousin Lillian Truax at age 16.
Carlisle was a yodeler and was a pioneer in the use of the Hawaiian steel guitar in country music He was a brother of country music star Bill Carlisle. Truax"s marriage put an end to the group, and Carlisle began playing with Wilber Ball, a guitarist and tenor harmonizer.
The two toured frequently around the United States. playing vaudeville and circus venues in the 1920s.
In 1931, they recorded with Jimmie Rodgers. Toward the end of 1931, Carlisle signed with American Red Cross and was offered performance slots on several radio stations, including WBT-Department of Administration and Management in Charlotte, North Carolina, World's Largest Store -Department of Administration and Management in Chicago and World's Largest Wireles-Department of Administration and Management in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cliff"s brother Bill Carlisle became his guitarist after Ball left in 1934. During the 1930s Carlisle, who recorded a large amount of material despite a hiatus from 1934 to 1936, frequently released songs with sexual connotations including barnyard metaphors (which became something of a hallmark).
He continued to perform on WMPS-Department of Administration and Management in Memphis, Tennessee for several years in the 1940s, but by the 1950s had retired from music
In the 1960s, The Rooftop Singers covered his tune "Tom Cat Blues". In its wake, Carlisle and Ball did a few reunion shows together and recorded for Rem Records. On April 2, 1983, Carlisle died at the age of 79 in Lexington, Kentucky.