[78-L] Brunswick matrix numbers was "Country Music Sources" discrepancies

[Peter Fraissinet]

Thomas,

I hope the below can shed some light.

Br 219-A "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" has 219A and 132 in the dead wax
Br 219-B "Mountain Dew" with 219B and 122.

Br 228 "Get Along Home, Cindy" with 228A and 119.
Br 228 "Darby's Ram" with 228B and 127

Br 314 "Stepstone" with 314 and 130
Br 314 "Dry Bones" with 314- and 140

OK 40155-A "Jesse James" with 40155-A and 8578-a
OK 40155-B "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" with 40155-B and 8579-a
both labels state "Recorded in Atlanta"

My copy of the Folkways 10" album FP-40, SMOKY MT. BALLADS, with "Swannanoa 
Tunnel" bears the date 1953 on both the record label and the booklet, but 
we know that with Folkways the date imprint changed with subsequent 
printings, in many cases leaving the booklet with a different date from the 
disc.  The notes say "Nineteen forty-nine was a particularly busy year for 
'The Minstrel.'  In the spring he went to Washington, D.C., where he made 
history with a seven-day marathon of song-singing for the Library of 
Congress, Folklore Division, a feat unparalleled in recording annals.  This 
was a repeat performance, with modern sound equipment, of a prior recording 
for the Archives (non-commercial) in 1935.  His contribution of nearly 350 
songs and tunes is the largest from any single performer...."  But there is 
nothing that explicitly says this album is derived from those LC 
sessions.  In fact, there is nothing explicit about time and place at all 
in the booklet.  The notes on the recordings are written by Lunsford.

Here's the interesting thing about the above track:  it is NOT the same 
recording as Lunsford's 1949 LC recording of "Swannanoa Tunnel" preserved 
on the Smithsonian/Folkways SF CD 40082 (BASCOM LAMAR LUNSFORD: BALLADS, 
BANJO TUNES, AND SACRED SONGS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA), published in 
1996.  I listened to both.  They even start out on a different stanza.  I 
don't know if Lunsford recorded more than one version of this song during 
those sessions.

Peter Fraissinet
West Danby NY

At 08:22 PM 1/6/2010, you wrote:

>Thanks Mike -
>Unfortunately I don't have the discography, nor easy access.
>Google Books shows 1 page of the LAIRD-Brunswick discog Lunsford listing.
>They list what appear to be PAIRS of numbers for each side, e.g. AL117-18.
>CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN???  Seems unlikely they are alternate takes, or that 
>these sold enough to
>have multiple takes issued...
>Does anyone have any of these disks - are these mx nos in the wax?
>
>Thanks, Thomas.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
>[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com]On Behalf Of Michael Biel
>Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 5:44 PM
>To: 78-L Mail List
>Subject: Re: [78-L] "Country Music Sources" discrepancies
>
>
>Have you compared these with Ross Lairds Brunswick discography?  I
>recall him writing that there have been some inaccurate listings in the
>past and that his book corrects them which is why it doesn't always
>match older discographies.  (Of course Ross could make a mistake I
>suppose . . .)
>
>Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com
>
>
>-------- Original Message --------
>From: "Thomas Stern" <sternth at attglobal.net>
>
>I've been trying to compile a list of BASCOM LAMAR LUNSFORD recordings.
>
>1. The matrix numbers for the BRUNSWICK recordings (1928)
>listed in COUNTRY MUSIC SOURCES (Meade/Spottswood/Meade) differ
>from those listed in 78DISCOGRAPHY.
>I've appended the session listing below.
>
>2. OK 40155 I Wish I Was A mole in the Ground/Jesse James
>COUNTRY MUSIC SOURCES gives exact date for one side, circa date for the
>other
>even though the matrix numbers are sequential,
>and two different locations (Atlanta/Asheville).
>
>3. SWANNANOA TUNNEL listed as a 1949 recording,
>as issued in Smithsonian-Folkways CD 40082,
>and Folkways FP 40/FA 2040.
>Other sources indicate the Folkways 10" LP possibly was recorded by
>Ralph Auf der Heide, 1951-1952.
>
>ANYONE HAVE CORRECT INFORMATION FOR THESE THREE PROBLEMS?
>
>Thanks!
>Best wishes, Thomas.
>
>
>
>March 15 1924, ATLANTA, GA ???????????
>Bascom Lamar Lunsford, vocal with banjo
>8578-A JESSE JAMES OK 40155 (10/1924)
>
>c.3/1924, ASHEVILLE, NC ???????????
>8579-A I WISH I WAS A MOLE IN THE GROUND OK 40155 (10/1924)
>
>
>February 5-7 1928, ASHLAND, KY
>Bascom Lamar Lunsford, vocal with banjo
>[2nd matrix assigned by Vocalion]
>AL 117 E7414W LOST JOHN DEAN Br 227 (10/28) Vo 5246 (10/28) YAZ 2028
>  [78discography AL 117, Meade/Spottswood AL 118]
>AL 119 GET ALONG HOME CINDY Br 228 (10/28)
>AL 121 MOUNTAIN DEW Br 219 SFW 40082
>  [78discography AL 121, Meade/Spottswood AL 122]
>AL 123 "NOL PROS" NELLIE Br 230
>AL 125 E7416W LULU WALL Br 229 Vo 5252
>AL 127 DARBY'S RAM Br 228 (10/28) Br 80097 (B1024)
>  Br BL 59001 Crl MH 174 MCA 3013
>AL 129 STEPSTONE Br 231 (07/1928) Br 314 06/1929) SFW 40082
>  [78discography AL 129, Meade/Spottswood AL 130]
>AL 131 I WISH I WAS A MOLE IN THE GROUND Br 219B Fw FP 253/FA2953 SFW
>40082 SFW 40090(5.07)
>  [78discography AL 131, Meade/Spottswood AL 132]
>AL 133 KIDDER COLE BR 230
>  [78discography AL 133, Meade/Spottswood AL 134]
>AL 135 E7415W ITALY Br 227 (10/28) Vo 5246 CT 6001
>  [78discography AL 135, Meade/Spottswood AL136]
>AL 137 E7419 LITTLE TURTLE DOVE Br 229 Vo 5252 (11/28) Cty 515 SFW 40082
>
>  [78discography AL137, Meade/Spottswood AL138]
>AL 138 DRY BONES Br 231 Br 314 Fw FP 252/FA2952 SFW 40082 SFW
>40090(4.10)
>  [78discography AL139, Meade/Spottswood AL140]