This is my blog where I write about music, jewelry, and myself. Vaudeville, burlesque, blues, jazz, songs about baltimore, novelties, and whatever else I feel like posting. Mostly from my own LPs and 78s. Subscribe via any of the methods in the right-hand column. Please do not link directly to the mp3 files.

Blind Alfred Reed
Explosion in the Fairmount Mines (1927)

Blind Alfred Reed was a fiddler who lived most of his life in West Virginia. This song is included on a compilation of "Old-Time Music of West Virginia." It's actually one of the less interesting songs on the CD. I prefer his great song "Sweet Bird," performed with the "West Virginia Night Owls." I also really enjoy some of the songs of Dick Justice, even though they mostly sound the same. (Go to this site to hear Justice's really weird song "Cocaine.")
I always thought it was peculiar in "Explosion in the Fairmount Mines" that a miner would decide to take a day off work. I watched Matewan this weekend, and it supported that idea. That was a pretty cool movie. Apparently I'm related to Sid Hatfield in some distant way. My uncle's aunt something something.
The plight of miners and the history of the coal mining industry is a sad and fascinating part of American history, with a lasting cultural impact. I definitely plan on reading more about this stuff.
Before reading about the actual mining industry, I think I'll read about songs about mining. I had done some research to find out if there was a horrible explosion in the Fairmount mines (There was an explosion, which inspired Reed to adapt this song from another earlier ballad), and I found out about this book, "Only a Miner: Studies in Recorded Coal-Mining Songs," by Archie Green. I'm all over that!
I don't have a good picture of Blind Alfred Reed. None really exist. In searching, I came across another great site with a bunch of mp3s: The Roots Music Listening Room.
Hooray for the internet.

Labels: country

Posted by: Kara Mae 1/29/2007  (3) comments

Well, well, well... it looks like it's time for another burlesque novelty. I haven't posted one in awhile.
The Sherry Britton LP is one thing, but I can't believe this one hasn't been reissued. Rhino? Somebody? At one point I'd thought about trying to do it myself. I don't think I'm up to the task. But someone should do it. And it should benefit Exotic World. Oh and I should be writing the reflective liner notes...

You probably know who Gypsy Rose Lee is. She was a dancer. And then she wrote a mystery novel. Which became a movie. She also had a musical written about her life.
The "Gypsy Rose Lee Remembers Burlesque" LP is much like the Sherry Britton one mentioned above (as well as a number of other burlesque LPs), but this one is centered around Gypsy and her career. There are some quality bits - the one I'm posting is my favorite. This humorous song speaks for itself. You can find this record for cheap on ebay, or perhaps even at your local thrift store.




Gypsy Rose Lee
Adam & Eve
Gypsy Rose Lee Remembers Burlesque
Stereoddities, 1962

Labels: burlesque, comedy, glamorous

Posted by: Kara Mae 1/24/2007  (1) comments

On New Year's Eve I ended up DJing some at The Ottobar's "If That Aint Country" party. I spent that morning going through my records, noting the best "party" songs, and wondering to myself if an aural deluge of banjos, mandolins and fiddles would go over with a crowd who probably wanted to hear nonstop Johnny Cash and rockabilly.
Turns out I really underestimated people. I played a few tracks off of the legendary Will The Circle Be Unbroken triple-LP. I played some Stanley Brothers, some Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, some Flatt & Scruggs. By far, the thing I played that garnered the most comments was J.D. Crowe and the New South. People were dancing and requesting more. What a satisfying feeling!
The song I'm sharing here is an upbeat country tune off of their self-titled 1977 LP. Once again, this mp3 might not be the best quality, because I'm sure you can and should find this and other J.D. Crowe songs on CD.
Whether country-bluegrass is "the next hispter trend," or people are just coming around to appreciate some neglected musical heritage, nothing beats enjoying music with people. (That's why I do this blog, actually.)
Instead of posting an actual picture of the record, I'll post a picture from New Years', of my drunken self and the lovely Angie (who organized the evening), posing with the record.

J.D. Crowe and the New South
You Can Have Her
1977 Gusto Records, Inc.

Labels: country

Posted by: Kara Mae 1/07/2007  (0) comments