Maybelle Carter, born May 10, 1909, near Nickelsville, Virginia, was an influential American guitarist known for her unique playing style and significant contributions to country music. By age 12, she was already skilled in the traditional hill-country songs of Appalachia and had developed a distinctive guitar and autoharp style. At 17, she married E.J. Carter and began performing with his family, forming the Carter Family with A.P. Carter and Sara Carter. Her innovative guitar technique, where she played melody on the bass strings while strumming rhythm on the treble strings, became widely imitated.

In 1927, the Carter Family secured a contract with RCA Victor Records, gaining national fame through recordings and radio broadcasts. After the group disbanded in 1943, Maybelle formed the Carter Sisters with her daughters June, Anita, and Helen. They became prominent figures on the Old Dominion Barn Dance radio program and later on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where they performed until 1967. Their recordings, including "Wabash Cannonball" and "Wildwood Flower," are considered country music classics.

The folk revival of the late 1960s renewed interest in the Carter Family, and Maybelle performed at the Newport Folk Festival, solidifying her status as a folk and country music legend. She passed away on October 23, 1978, in Nashville, Tennessee, leaving a lasting legacy in the music world.