Don Richardson, country fiddler of 1916

Starting in 1916 (six years before the alleged first country 78!), North Carolinian fiddler Don Richardson recorded a number of country sides for Columbia, Okeh, and other labels. In fact, Richardson made his first two sides in 1914, but these may not have been country numbers. (I suspect they weren't.) Anyway, here's a great photo of Don:


















"Why am I not better-known?"--Don, puzzling.

Art Garfunkel's dad? This was swiped from Robert D. Morritt's excellent Don Richardson site at: http://www.geocities.com/Fiddlindon/DON_RICHARDSON.html

And here are four of Richardson's six 1916 Columbia label sides--Arkansas Traveler, Old Zip Coon, Mississippi Sawyer (my favorite of the quartet), and Durang's Hornpipe. Don should be much better-known, and I'm happy to do whatever I can to help this happen.

http://box.net/public/lee/files/262956.html Arkansas Traveler, Columbia A-2140 , 1916.
http://box.net/public/lee/files/259526.html Old Zip Coon, Columbia A-2140, 1916.
http://box.net/public/lee/files/259525.html Mississippi Sawyer, Columbia-2018, 1916.
http://box.net/public/lee/files/259527.html Durang's Hornpipe, Columbia A-2018, 1916.

Please save, rather than open, files for best results. Thanks!

Lee

"Terrifyingly real, as the world in which it lives!!"

I can't tell you what in the world that means, but I can tell you where it comes from: a 1958 Columbia Pictures 78 RPM "theatre lobby spot" designed to promote the Japanese horror classic, The H Man. I saw the movie on TV many years ago, and all I remember is there was a guy who changed into a gooey mass from time to time, slithering under doorways to get to his victims, none of whom were happy to see him. Directed by Ishiro Honda, the man who gave us Gojira.

Neat electronic effects on this record, and some unforgettable lines: "The most terrifying human ever filmed," and "One of the most unusual and outstanding films of its kind," and "Faceless, formless horror of destruction." Plus, my favorite: "See an exotic dancer trapped and destroyed!"

Hear... the H Man.

http://box.net/public/lee/files/252027.html The H Man, Columbia Pictures Theatre Lobby Spot, 1958 (78 RPM).

Have a MYPWHAE Fourth of July!

We start with an obscure track: the rarely-recorded Monty Python's Flying Circus March, performed by the BBC Marching Band:

http://box.net/public/lee/files/252235.html Monty Python March, BBC Marching Band, 1969.

Also known as the Big Foot March. Some Pythonites believe the music derives from John Philip Sousa's Liberty Bell march, but this doesn't ring true, somehow. Why would a British comedy troupe use a patriotic piece by America's own March King?

Next up, Paul Revere, one of those WWI songs in which a famous hero of history is asked to return to Earth to pull recruiting duty. Joan of Arc was similarly solicited. The singer is Charles Hart, with four-part backup by the Revelers as the Shannon Four.

http://box.net/public/lee/files/253114.html Paul Revere, Charles Hart and Shannon Four (1918).

And what kind of MYPWHAE Fourth of July would this be without a tribute to home-town bands? Which is exactly what Merv Griffin and Freddy Martin provide for us here. Merv croons, while Martin mimics a municipal brass ensemble with a penchant for quoting Tchaikovsky.

http://box.net/public/lee/files/253113.html There's Something About a Home Town Band, Merv Griffin, vocal, with Freddy Martin and His Orchestra (1949).

Surf safely on this Fourth of July holiday.

Lee