Worried Man Blues: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1930)
Encyclopedia
Worried Man Blues: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1930) is a compilation of recordings made by American
country music
group the Carter Family
, released in 1995. It is the fourth of nine compilations released by Rounder Records
of the group's Victor
recordings.
, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter
. A.P. traveled around the southwestern Virginia area in search of new songs, resulting in many traditional songs being copyrighted in his name. In 1927, the trio auditioned for record producer Ralph Peer
and subsequently began their recording career with Victor.
By the end of 1930 the trio had sold 300,000 records in the U.S.
The tracks have all been digitally remastered.
review, "The 1930 songs feature an unusual amount of trio work along with some of the Carters' more standard duets. While all songs are credited to A. P. , many were in fact written and even recorded earlier by others. Many came from A. P. 's song hunting trips into the mountains. Be prepared for a lot of repetition in sound. Given they only used two instruments and no special effects, there is certain to be a sameness."
Production notes:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
group the Carter Family
Carter Family
The Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s. They were the first vocal group to become country...
, released in 1995. It is the fourth of nine compilations released by Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
of the group's Victor
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
recordings.
History
The original Carter Family group consisted of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter, his wife Sara Dougherty CarterSara Carter
Sara Carter was an American Country music musician. Known for her deep and distinctive singing voice, she was the lead singer on most of the recordings of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s....
, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter
Maybelle Carter
"Mother" Maybelle Carter was an American country musician. She is best known as a member of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s and also as a member of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.-Biography:...
. A.P. traveled around the southwestern Virginia area in search of new songs, resulting in many traditional songs being copyrighted in his name. In 1927, the trio auditioned for record producer Ralph Peer
Ralph Peer
Ralph Sylvester Peer was an American talent scout, recording engineer and record producer in the field of music in the 1920s and 1930s...
and subsequently began their recording career with Victor.
By the end of 1930 the trio had sold 300,000 records in the U.S.
The tracks have all been digitally remastered.
Reception
In his No Depression review, critic Kels Koch stated, "What counts 65 years later is that these recordings — as crucial a patch in American music’s tapestry as any — are back in print to entertain and console yet another generation: ours." Larry Stephens stated in his Country Standard TimeCountry Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
review, "The 1930 songs feature an unusual amount of trio work along with some of the Carters' more standard duets. While all songs are credited to A. P. , many were in fact written and even recorded earlier by others. Many came from A. P. 's song hunting trips into the mountains. Be prepared for a lot of repetition in sound. Given they only used two instruments and no special effects, there is certain to be a sameness."
Track listing
All songs are credited to A. P. Carter unless otherwise noted.- "I Have an Aged Mother" – 3:20
- "The Dying Soldier" – 3:02
- "Worried Man BluesWorried Man Blues"Worried Man Blues" is a folk song in the roots music repertoire. Like many folks songs passed by oral tradition, the lyrics vary from version to version, but generally all contain the chorus "It takes a worried man to sing a worried song/It takes a worried man to sing a worried song/I'm worried...
" – 2:43 - "Lonesome Valley" – 2:38
- "On the Rock Where Moses Stood" (A. P. Carter, Sara Carter, Maybelle Carter) – 3:07
- "Room in Heaven for Me" – 2:49
- "Lonesome Pine Special" – 2:58
- "No More the Moon Shines on Lorena" – 3:02
- "On My Way to Canaan's Land" – 3:03
- "Where Shall I Be?" – 2:51
- "Sow 'Em on the Mountain" – 2:51
- "Darling Nellie Across the Sea" – 2:46
- "The Birds Were Singing of You" – 3:05
- "Weary Prodigal Son" – 2:39
- "My Old Cottage Home" – 2:55
- "When I'm Gone" – 3:02
Personnel
- A. P. CarterA. P. CarterAlvin Pleasant Delaney Carter , best known as A.P. Carter, was an American musician and founding member of The Carter Family, one of the most notable acts in the history of country music.-Life:...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Maybelle CarterMaybelle Carter"Mother" Maybelle Carter was an American country musician. She is best known as a member of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s and also as a member of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.-Biography:...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the... - Sara CarterSara CarterSara Carter was an American Country music musician. Known for her deep and distinctive singing voice, she was the lead singer on most of the recordings of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s....
– vocals, autoharp
Production notes:
- Ralph PeerRalph PeerRalph Sylvester Peer was an American talent scout, recording engineer and record producer in the field of music in the 1920s and 1930s...
– producer - Wulfing von Rohr – producer
- Jim Oliver – producer, liner notes
- Dr. Toby Mountain – mastering
- Scott Billington – design
- Charles K. Wolfe – liner notes, photography
- Boris Mourashkin – liner notes
- Dr. Jeffrey D. Thompson – liner notes