John Carson

John Carson

Source: Bluegrass Messengers

Like his contemporary, Eck Robertson, country fiddler, John Carson, was an early progenitor of bluegrass before it became associated as such. He released a number of popular songs in the twenties, his first in 1923. Born in Georgia on 23 March 1868, Carson was ready to busk the streets of Copperhill at age eleven. Not a lot is known about his life in his twenties, other than that he married in 1894. In 1900 he found work in a cotton mill in Atlanta, which is the sort of employment he kept for the next two decades while playing fiddle at contests and minstrel shows. He was 55 years of age when he first recorded in Atlanta on June 14 of 1923: 'The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane' / 'The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow' (Okeh 4890):

'Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane'   Fiddlin' John Carson

Recorded 14 June 1923 in Atlanta   Matrix 8375   Issued on OKeh 4890

Composition: Minstrel by Will S Hays   1871

On the potential of Carson's debut recordings he was sent to New York City to record twelve more titles on the 7th and 8th of November, all issued including such as 'When You and I Were Young, Maggie' (Okeh 40020) and 'Tom Watson Special' (Okeh 40050). Carson recorded nearly 150 sides during his lifetime, usually with a group called the Virginia Reelers, also with his daughter, Rosa Lee. Tony Russell's 'Country Music Records' traces recordings to as late as February 28, 1934, in Camden, New Jersey, five of seven tracks issued: 'I'm Old and Feeble' (Bluebird 5959), 'Old and in the Way' (Bluebird 5959), 'Stockade Blues' (Bluebird 5447), 'Do You Ever Think of Me?' (Bluebird 5447) and 'Ain't No Bugs on Me' (Bluebird 5652). His crew on those consisted variously of Bill Willard (banjo), Moonshine Kate (guitar/vocals) and Marion Peanut Brown (guitar/vocals).

'Old and In the Way'   Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers

Recorded March 1924 in Camden NJ   Matrix 8603   Issued on OKeh 40181

Music: L. T. Billings   Lyrics: P. J. Downey

'Arkansas Traveler'   Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers

Recorded March 1924 in Camden NJ   Matrix 8613   Issued on OKeh 40181

'I'm Nine Hundred Miles From Home'   Fiddlin' John Carson

Recorded 27 Aug 1924 in Atlanta   Issued on OKeh 40196

Composition: Traditional - this thought its first appearance on record

'It's a shame to whip your wife on Sunday'   Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers

Recorded 17 March 1927 in Atlanta   Issued on OKeh 45122

'Ain't No Bugs On Me'   Composition by Fiddlin' John Carson

Recorded 10 Aug 1928 in Atlanta   Issued on OKeh 45259

'Didn't He Ramble'   Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers

Recorded 9 Dec 1930 in Atlanta   Issued on OKeh 45569

Composition: Bob Cole / John Rosamond Johnson

Carson wrote more than 150 songs, though copyrighted only nine [Wikipedia]. He died on December 11, 1949, in Atlanta where he had been employed as an elevator operator during his latter years. living long enough to hear of the Soviet Union testing a nuclear bomb in September and the founding of the People's Republic of China October, but missing the start of the Korean War in November of 1950.