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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZPOOLE, Charlie(b 22 March 1892, Almance Co. NC; d 21 May '31) Vocalist, banjo player, leader of North Carolina Ramblers, popular and infl. string band of the '20s. Worked in textile mill; due to childhood injury had deformed fingers on right hand, developed a unique three-fingered picking style on banjo; teamed with fiddle player Posey Rorer (b 1891, Franklin Co. VA; d '36), married Posey's sister Lou Emma '22; with guitarist Norman Woodlieff they played square dances, corn huskings etc; then schoolhouses, barns and theatres in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Rorer and Woodlieff moved to NYC in search of a record deal, working in factories there; auditioned by Frank Walker at Columbia they recorded 'Don't Let Your Deal Go Down' mid-'25: it sold over 100,000 copies, one of the top-selling hillbilly records of the time; they made a full-time living from music and in five years sold over a million records. Bill C. Malone says they sometimes used a piano or an extra fiddle, but that the trio format was their most popular. Bill Harvey (b 1892, Beckley WV; d '58) replaced Woodlieff '26; Lonnie Austin (d April '97 at age 92) replaced Posey '28, himself replaced by Odell Smith. Poole's accent and sound identified him regionally, but they played vaudeville and ragtime tunes as well as rural material, and Poole's idol was Al Jolson. The Depression ended their success; Poole became a heavy drinker and died after an all-night party with old friends; the records are still highly regarded, '26--30 compiled on CD Charlie Poole And The North Carolina Ramblers on County. |