finetune artist: Fiddlin' John Carson

b. 23 March 1868, on a farm in the hills of Fannin County, Georgia, USA, d. 11 December 1949, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It is likely that Carson's forebears arrived from Ireland around 1780; probably some were fiddle players, who brought instruments with them. It is said that Carson first began to play the fiddle when he was about 11. He also rode as a jockey as a boy until he became too big and heavy. At one time he worked in a cotton mill, and there is little doubt that he was also occupied as a moonshiner. He regularly played the fiddle and eventually relocated to Atlanta, where he earned a living busking and playing at local functions including political rallies. Over the years he became such an expert fiddler that between 1914 and 1924 he was named Champion of Dixie on seven occasions. He became one of the first country artists to play on local radio when he appeared on WSB Atlanta in 1922. In 1923, Atlanta record store manager Polk Brockman suggested to Ralph Peer of OKeh Records that he should record some local talent. When on 19 June 1923 Carson performed "The Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane" and "The Old Hen Cackled And The Rooster's Going To Crow", he was the first country artist that Peer recorded. Peer was unimpressed by Carson's vocal work, describing it as "pluperfect awful" and doubted the sales potential of the record. Initially, he pressed only 500 copies and was amazed when they quickly sold. When Carson realized how successfully his record sold he was heard to remark that he would have to quit making moonshine and start making records. Peer immediately arranged for Carson to make further recordings; between 1923 and 1931, often accompanied by the Virginia Reelers, who included his daughter Rosa Lee Carson (Moonshine Kate), he recorded almost 150 tracks for OKeh. The material varied from country songs such as "The Letter Edged In Black", traditional fiddle tunes such as "Old Joe Clark" and popular ballads such as "Long Way To Tipperary" to the humorous "Who Bit The Wart Off Grandma's Nose". Carson made his final recordings (again accompanied by his daughter) for RCA-Victor Records in Camden in February 1934. He continued to play at conventions and other functions and until a few days before his death, on 11 December 1949, he was working as a lift operator in the Capitol Records building in Atlanta, Georgia.

Listen to Fiddlin' John Carson at Finetune.

Dixie Boll Weavil
Dixie Boll Weevil
Storm That Struck Miami

JBER