Topic: Old Time starter kit

[Dan Gellert]

There's certainly no denying the importance of the Carter Family. Everything Cambio says is absolutley true, and yet, I've never been able to warm to them at all.
? ? ? ?{snip}
? Of course, I have the same problem with Memphis Minnie. I know all the reasons I should like her, but can never work myself up to anything more than just "She's OK".? ?
? ? ? ? ?{snip}? ? ? ?

I'm no head-shrinker, but can't help but wonder if there isn't some significance in Sarah, Maybelle and Minnie being three of the strongest women recording in that time and place.....? ?

I will admit that the Carters were more of an aquired taste for me than say, Uncle Dave Macon or the Memphis Jug Band.? ?Amazing what you can hear in there once you "get" them, though....

To get more on topic:? All great suggestions so far, here are a few I'd add:

Fiddlers you must hear:?
Luther Strong, W.M. Stepp (LofC recordings c.1937, scattered on various anthologies)
Edden Hammons (a couple of CD's from UofWV I think)

Anything by Hobart Smith--especially his banjo, but also his singing, guitar, fiddle, and (!) piano.

Dan

[Cleoma]

Sorry I'm getting into this thread so late, doubtless all or nearly all of what I'm about to list has already been mentioned, but -- here goes!
Carolina Tar  Heels plus anything else with Clarence Ashley (either from the Golden Era or from the 60s)
Uncle Dave Macon
East Texas Serenaders
Doc Roberts
Stripling Brothers
Arthur Smith
Ralph Blizzard
Burnett & Rutherford
Georgia Yellow Hammers
Lowe Stokes
Freeny's Barn Dance Band
Mississippi String Band anthologies
Benton Flippin
Leake County Revelers
Carter Family
Luther Strong (amazing tonality!)
and there is much, much more. 

Couple of Cajun fiddlers that play some nice bluesy stuff:
Dewey Balfa
early recordings of Leo Soileau

Suzy T.

[Eldergreene]

Mountain Blues JSP boxset - great value

[Mike Billo]

[quote author=Dan Gellert link=topic=1155.msg9360#msg9360 I'm no  head-shrinker, but can't help but wonder if there isn't some significance in Sarah, Maybelle and Minnie being three of the strongest women recording in that time and place.....   

     Right you are, Dan.  You're *no* head-shrinker

[Mike Billo]

[quote author=Dan Gellert link=topic=1155.msg9360#msg9360
I'm no head-shrinker, but can't help but wonder if there isn't some significance in Sarah, Maybelle and Minnie being three of the strongest women recording in that time and place.....   


  Of course, Musical prefernce is purely visceral, but I would have a hard time calling Sara and Maybelle Carter the "strongest women recording in that time" when that time also gave us Bessie Smith, Lil Hardin, Mamie Smith, Ida Cox, Ma Rainey, Minnie Wallace, Clemona Falcon and Sara Martin.

   But of course, all this is just a matter of individual preference

[outfidel]

There's certainly no denying the importance of the Carter Family. Everything Cambio says is absolutley true, and yet, I've never been able to warm to them at all.

To me, the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers & Uncle Dave Macon are the "Big 3" of old-time music.

I just received my first iPod -- mine should be called rootsPod[/i] -- and I've loaded 50 Carter Family songs on it. All were taken from the 2 JSP box sets. Right now, my absolute favorite Carter Family songs are
- East Virginia Blues
- My Dixie Darling
- Black Jack Davey
- Hello Stranger
- Cannonball (Cannonball Blues)

The things that makes the Carter Family recordings so good are:
- the vocal harmonizing
- Maybelle's guitar playing - her bass leads intertwine perfectly with the vocals, much the way Mississippi John Hurt's treble leads do - it's like a conversation between singer & guitar
- the songwriting (okay, A.P. didn't write them; but like Milton Berle said, "I know a good joke when I steal one!"? )

[uncle bud]

I started thinking about this topic last night, and it occured to me that nobody had mentioned the Carter Family.? Now, how is it possible to have a discussion about old time music without mentioning the Carter Family?? Only a bunch of blues fans could make that mistake.?
I'm not sure if you have any of their music in your collection Andrew, but there first few years, 1927-1930 are absolutely dynamite.? [snip]

...Also, the book "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone" by Mark Zwonitzer and Charles Hirshberg is one of the best music related autobiographies that I have ever read.

Yes, Todd, I do have some Carter Family in the collection and enjoy them a lot. I should get the first JSP set... Also thanks for mentioning "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone". I've looked at it wondering whether to pick it up and now I will.