Biography
Born James Bennett Cain on 21 May 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut, Benny handled harmonica, mandolin, and vocals, while Vallie, born Vallie R. Cave on 19 July 1927 in Kitzmiller, Maryland, contributed guitar and vocals until her death on 15 April 1993. Over more than four decades the husband-and-wife pair moved from traditional country into bluegrass, with Cain having spent his childhood in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and remained on the Treasury payroll until 1985. The two first crossed paths in 1947, assembled the Country Cousins, and began broadcasting on a Winchester, Virginia, station. Following their 1950 marriage they settled in Washington, DC, where Cain’s daytime job was based; nights and weekends found them performing at area clubs and halls with the Country Clan. Adelphi captured their work in the mid-1950s, Rebel later included several tracks on its Bluegrass Spectacular anthologies, and the label eventually released two full albums by the duo. Appearances continued into the late 1980s, frequently alongside Washington-area bluegrass figures such as Bill Emerson, Roni Stoneman, and the couple’s son Paul. A 1982 European tour preceded Benny’s Treasury retirement in 1985, after which they maintained a schedule of local gigs and selected festival dates before moving to Falls Church, Virginia. Benny regained enough strength following a 1990 heart attack to resume occasional performances, continuing until Vallie’s death three years later.
Albums