Friday, March 18, 2011

Fiddlin' John Carson


Recorded on June 13 or 14, 1923 in Atlanta. Polk Brockman ran a furniture store in Atlanta and in order to market phonographs had developed a flourishing business selling "race" 78rpm recordings. In 1923, Ralph Peer arrived in Atlanta looking for black talent to record. Brockman imposed on him to record local fiddle champion Fiddlin' John Carson. Peer recorded Carson, but was unimpressed and issued this recording without even a label to the Atlanta market only. This first issue sold out and when Brockman ordered more copies, Peer realized there might be gold in them thar hills. This recording is acknowledged as the first country tune to be recorded and marketed on a commercial basis.


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