I've found myself diving deeper into old American roots music in recent years, and today got an introduction to the legendary Charlie Poole.
Charlie Poole (courtesy of WNYC.orgSoundcheck, one of my favorite radio shows, presented a terrific interview with Loudon Wainwright, whose new double CD is a tribute to Poole and his music, which laid the groundwork for country music and roots music in general.
Poole sold a half-million records in the 1920s -- remember this was a time when record players (aka Victrolas) were in their infancy. In other words, he was the Garth Brooks of his day.
Sadly, Poole, like many famous musicians, died an early death at age 39, the loser in a 13-week booze binge. I'm not ready to buy Wainwright's album or the box set mentioned in the podcast, but this 23-minute segment is well worth the listen for music fans digging into the roots of modern music.
Logan Molen