Topic: An Unlikely African-American Music Historian

[Slack]

Polk Miller; An NPR short segment.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120398673&sc=emaf

[Mr.OMuck]

Thanks for that.

[uncle bud]

Interesting. I wonder if Miller quits the touring with African Americans in 1911 because it is getting more dangerous or he just decides it's plain dangerous.

"Out of the 20 or so singers who worked with him in the Old South Quartette over the years, only two have ever been identified by name."

But not in this article!

[Slack]

James L. Stamper and Randall Graves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_Miller

..just in case you had not looked.  Isn't it great that NPR does their research on Wikipedia?   

[maddoggirl]

Interesting. I wonder if Miller quits the touring with African Americans in 1911 because it is getting more dangerous or he just decides it's plain dangerous.

From what little I know (yay for Civil Rights in America unit in A-Level History...) it would probably have become worse. The nadir of African-American life in the US was from the turn of the century until the First World War, or so I've been led to believe.

[uncle bud]

Old Hat Records has "Rise and Shine" by Polk Miller up on their website for listening:

"Old Hat Records has acquired and remastered Rise And Shine  by Polk Miller and his Old South Quartette on Edison Standard cylinder No. 10332, thought to be the rarest of the seven titles recorded by the group in 1909."

http://www.oldhatrecords.com/  Scroll down to Rise and Shine.

[dj]

For anyone who's interested in more, all seven 1909 titles by Polk Miller and the Old South Quartette are available on Document 5061, The Earliest Negro Vocal Quartets 1894 - 1928.  But be aware that the disc is currently unavailable, "Repress due February 2010". 

[jugblowr]

The Tompkins Square release is available here: http://www.tompkinssquare.com/polk_miller_quartette.html

In addition to some of the best primitive group singing I've heard, it also provides a fascinating glimpse into the shared tradition of black and white musicians.  The segregation of 'race' and 'hillbilly' records was a way to categorize and sell records.  It's quite a revelation to hear an integrated recording made before these commercial categories had a chance to influence the performers.

[Stuart]

...The segregation of 'race' and 'hillbilly' records was a way to categorize and sell records. It's quite a revelation to hear an integrated recording made before these commercial categories had a chance to influence the performers.

Thanks for the link. Tompkins Square has released a range of interesting music:

http://www.tompkinssquare.com/releases.html

In case it fell through the cracks, you might take a look at     
Segregating Sound: Inventing Folk and Pop Music in the Age of Jim Crow

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=128&topic=6595.0

I'm up to about page 180 or so and it is definitely an interesting read.