Lyrad's Random 10

If Fiddlin' John Carson wasn't the best of his time or the most prolific, he was the first. In 1922, a week after WSB, the South's first radio station, began broadcasting, Carson arrived, fiddle in hand, to play until he could play no more. He was an immediate sensation, which makes sense given his previous popularity at political rallies and fiddle competitions (he won the Georgia State Championship seven times). A year and a series of radio performances later, a representative from the OKeh label came to Marietta, GA to record two sides, "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" and "The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow." Long titles, and tracks that the rep absolutely hated, and only reluctantly agreed to press five hundred copies, which Carson distributed at concerts. Needless to say, they sold out immediately and he, along with the original Carter Family, became the first Country Music celebrity. With his daughter Rosa Lee (dubbed Moonshine Kate), he toured across the south to huge audiences. Apparently, he also had trained his dog to howl along with his fiddle but, alas, I don't believe any of this was recorded (I sure hope he taught the pooch to say "I love you"). Unfortunately, his recordings were not well preserved and sound terrible, some of the worst transfers Document Records has done. This is, of course, not their fault, but it would be nice to be able to properly hear his fiddle and understand at all what he's singing about. Even "The Lone Child," recorded in 1929, when technology had progressed significantly, sounds like it's sung through a tin can in the rain, but at least the recordings still exist.

1. Fiddlin' John Carson--The Lone Child
2. Robert Johnson--Crossroad Blues
3. Blind Boy Fuller--Cat Man Blues
4. Ennio Morricone--Guns Don't Argue (Theme from same titled film)
5. Albert King--Don't Lie To Me
6. Mose Allison--If You're Goin' to the City
7. Big Bill Broonzy--Too Too Train Blues
8. Henry Cow--Grontigen Again
9. Francois Couperin--Prelude No.2 for Organ (Jovanka Marville, Org)
10. Sonic Youth--Mary-Christ