Preview
Date
2015-02-24
Creation Date
1988-01-01
Description
2 pages, Advertisements for re-introducing the music of Robison.
Object Type
Manuscript
Transcription
A HILLBILLY MIXTURE
Carson Robison and his pioneers
SIDE 1
1. CROSS-EYED SUE (Robison) 2:47
2. PEG LEG JACK (Luther-Robison) 2:50
3. DIDN'T HE RAMBLE (Robison) 3:05
4. I WAS BORN IN OLD WYOMING (Robison) 2:39
5. THE BUM SONG (Music: Robison-Words: Trad) 3:07
6. OPEN UP DEM PEARLY GATES (Robison) 2:40
7. A HILLBILLY MIXTURE 6:23
8. THE BACK PORCH (Robison) 6:44
SIDE 2
1. HALLELUJAH! I'M A BUM (Arr. Robison) 3:00
2. 'WAY OUT WEST IN KANSAS (Robison) 3:00
3. POLLY WOLLY DOODLE (Trad. Arr. Robison) 2:50
4. GOING TO THE BARNDANCE TONIGHT (Robison) 2:37
5. HILLBILLY SONGS MEDLEY 8:14
6. MEET ME TONIGHT IN THE VALLEY (Robison) 2:42
7. THE ENGINEERS CHILD (Andrews-King) 2:58
8. MAKING A RECORD (Robison) 6:36
Carson Jay Robison - born Oswego, Kansas. August 4, 1890, died Poughkeepsie, New York. March 24, 1957 - was described in a 1940's NBC radio transcription as Americas best loved singer and composer of folk songs, a label he well deserves since informed sources tell us he composed more than 300 songs, and 'arranged' many more.
He made more than 1000 sides and probably several hundred transcriptions during his recording career which spanned more than 30 years from the early 1920's and the dawn of hillbilly recordings right through to the 1950's square dance craze. As well as writing, publishing and singing his versatility as a whistler, guitarist, actor and story teller are worth noting. The then new medium of radio featured his work as early as 1922 .
Carson's first recordings, in 1924 , were as a whistler with popular singer and sometimes pseudo hillbilly, ukulele man Wendell Hall. From 1924 to 1928 he worked with Vernon Dalhart and from 1928 to 19 32 with Frank Luther. In between times he provided his unmistakeable guitar work behind many artists from semi pop [illegible] like Frank Crumit and Al Bernard through to oldtime fiddler Jilson [illegible]
[illegible] he formed a long term association with Bill and John Mitchell and Pearl [?ickens] sometimes known as The Buckaroos but more often outside of the USA as The Pioneers.
In the summer of that year this team exploded onto the unsuspecting public of England, Scotland and Ireland with a triumphant tour of those areas (repeated again in 1936 and 1939). It was apparently necessary to explain this type of music as an article in 'Rhythm' magazine for June 1932 describes Carson as The Hill Billy King and in an accompanying story that the 'real pioneer tells you all about purveying rustic melodies for sophisticated listeners'. Presumably just for UK consumption he tells his readers that 'a hillbilly tune should be simple, and easily remembered , but it must have personality' and that he was the one to first put forward the idea to record companies to record hillbilly music. Although this honour goes to others he was certainly in on the ground floor.
But whatever was written at that time the fact remains that the group produced a lot of lively, well played, even jaunty records for a variety of English companies. Many had humourous if somewhat corny lyrics as can pe heard on this LP. These went down well in that depression era when people needed some bright entertainment. The Pioneers had boundless energy and it seems they had a ball making these recordings.
They also made transcriptions for use on radio stations in Europe but did not tour in any other country.
The titles re-issued here for the first time were all recorded between April and June, 1932 for Columbia Graphophone Co and The Gramophone Co (both later EMI) and were released on Zonophone, Regal (and later Regal Zonophone) 10" and Columbia 12" 78's. Some of the songs were issued in Australia on Zonophone and Regal Zonophone and in India on The Twin label.
Listen then to some of the recordings from one period in the life of one of the most important figures in early country music.
(For a well written story on Robbie, as he was often known, see Old Time Music magazine, issue 29 'First Of The Rural Professionals ' by Bob Coltman).
David L. Crisp
June, 1988
Original recordings loaned from the David L. Crisp collection.
NOTE: The re-issue of these vintage performances was made possible by tape transfer from original 78rpm discs and whilst surface noise is evident, there is no loss of artistic value.
℗ & © 1932 EMI RECORDS LTD.
THIS COMPILATION ℗ & © 1988 EMI RECORDS AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD
Manufactured, marketed and retailed by EMI Retail Promotions.
Identifier
CR_14_pa03
Image Format
Text
Publisher Digital
Pittsburg State University, Axe Library, Special Collections
Rights
Digital image copyright 2015, Pittsburg State University. All rights reserved. For more information contact the Leonard H. Axe Library Special Collections, PSU, Pittsburg, KS 66762.
Keywords
Carson Robison
