The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2410 Message #962277
Posted By: Stewie
30-May-03 - 08:06 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Old Riley / Here Rattler Here
Subject: RE: Here Rattler Here
The title of the folk song on which Grandpa Jones' famous recording was based was 'Calling the Dog'. The earliest recording was by [Blind] George Reneau in NYC ca April 1924 and issued as Vocalion 14814 in July 1924: 'Here Rattler Here [Calling the Dog]'. Recordings by Reneau marked Vocalion's entry into the hillbilly market - Uncle Am Stuart and Uncle Dave Macon were to soon follow him into the studio. Charles Wolfe noted that Reneau was 'one of the relatively few traditional musicians to make the transition from wandering street corner minstrel to recording artist' [JMFQ 15, #50, Winter 1979]. Unfortunately, he contracted pneumonia while working the streets of Knoxville and died at the tender age of 32. As far as I am aware, his 'Old Rattler' has not been reissued.