Guitarist and musical historian Nathan Salsburg turned us onto this amazing music find, four amazing musical moments recorded for WHAS radio at Churchill Downs, just a few days before the 1939 Kentucky Derby.

Sportscaster Ted Husing (pictured) finds and records two black jug/string bands consisting of stable hands to perform some music for his listeners between all the horse commentary. The results are astounding. The Barnyard Boys perform “In the Evening by the Moonlight” and “Dinah”, while the Six Bits of Rhythm (on everything from perform two tunes a piece:  “Old Man Moses” and “Shoeshine Boy.”

It’s some of the most interesting music we’ve heard, and it’s all performed by long-forgotten, nameless musicians. You can read more about these tunes and read Salsburg’s commentary on the recordings at the great Root Hog or Die website.