[78-L] Robeson & Dalhart question

[David Sanderson]

On 1/23/2012 11:57 AM, Malcolm Rockwell wrote:
> As we know Carson Robeson and Vernon Dalhart both released many, many
> 78s. Asking purely for subjective responses, what is considered the best
> performance of each artist (not necessarily the biggest seller) and what
> is the most representative performance?
> Good thing it's Monday!
> Malcolm R

I like "My Blue Ridge Mountain Home," "When The Sun Goes Down Again," 
"Little Green Valley." Robison was a songwriting genius, and Dalhart 
never gave him the credit he deserved - I heard a presentation by 
someone who had access to Robison's files, which include copyright 
records for 1200 songs. "Life Gets Tedjus" is an example of Robison's 
comic songs, clever and funny consistently. I like "Goin' Back to Where 
I Come From," too (this may not be the exact title). Then there's 
"Lindbergh, the Eagle of the USA," a classic of sorts. "The Prisoner's 
Song" is one of Dalhart's better solo pieces, and popular too. The 
recordings with jew's harp, whistling and whatnot are fun, but not the 
real keepers. What I'd say generally is that Robison's best songs are 
the best recordings. I've got a miscellaneous batch of 78s, at least one 
Dalhart reissue set, and a couple of Robison reissue CDs, mostly later 
recordings. He was working in England and Europe beginning about 1932, I 
think the first US cowboy/country performer to really spend time there, 
did some recording for HMV. I'll be interested in other comments.


-- 
David Sanderson
East Waterford Maine
dwsanderson685 at roadrunner.com
http://www.dwsanderson.com