Roy Claxton Acuff, born September 15, 1903, in Maynardville, Tennessee, was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter, often called [The King of Country Music.]

Acuff's family was fairly prominent, his paternal grandfather, had been a Tennessee state senator, and his maternal grandfather was a local physician. Roy's father was an accomplished fiddler and a Baptist preacher and his mother was proficient on the piano. During Roy's early years the Acuff house was a popular place for local gatherings. At such gatherings, Roy would often amuse people by balancing farm tools on his chin. He also learned to play harmonica and Jew's harp at a young age.

During high school, Acuff sang in the school chapel's choir and performed in student plays. He suffered from sunstroke after high school and while recovering he began to hone his fiddle skills. His father gave him several records of regionally-renowned fiddlers who influenced his style.