Bobby Horton

Bobby Horton is one of two musicians with this name to come out of the city of Birmingham, AL, during the 20th century and establish international reputations. Historical eras as well as interests separate them in the ways a commonly used name cannot. While the jazz trombonist credited as both Robert Horton and Bobby Horton began working in the '20s on the big-band and dance-band scene, multi-instrumentalist Bobby Horton started recording songs from the American Civil War in the mid-'80s. More than a dozen such releases later, he is considered an expert in this era of music and beyond that something of an overdubbing genius. He performs selections as a trio, a quartet, and so forth, utilizing some 14 different instruments associated with traditional music, including the Dobro and the harmonica.

A huge audience became exposed to Horton's work as part of the series The Civil War created by Ken Burns, and he has continued to work on other documentaries, his performances never failing to properly evoke a time and place. Video games set on bloody American battlefields of long ago also have commissioned recordings from Horton. As a live player, he has also been active in Birmingham groups including Three on a String and the Front Porch String Band.