Review: Carter Family Biography

Subject: New Book on the Carter Family
From: Greycap
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 02:12 PM

Simon & Schuster have just published "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone ?" - The Carter Family and Their Legacy in American Music, by Mark Zwonitzer & Charles Hirshberg. $25. Buy - Read - Enjoy !!!

Subject: RE: New Book on the Carter Family
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 06:52 PM

Barnes & Noble announcement of this book.

~Masato

Subject: RE: New Book on the Carter Family
From: Greycap
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 07:17 PM

Masato, We must be brothers, or something. I just knew you would be first to respond.

Subject: RE: New Book on the Carter Family
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 07:27 PM

Greycap, I've been waiting for their biography.

~Masato

Subject: Review: Carter family Biography
From: wilco
Date: 04 Feb 03 - 04:46 PM

"Will You Miss me When I'm Gone? The Carter Family and their Legacy in American Music." by Zwonitzer and Hirshberg. 2002. I might have missed the thread on this, and, if I have, I aplogize.
    For those of us who are fans of the Carter Family, this is the first really good biography that I've ever seen. Many original sources, access to persoanl materials and archives, etc. Great stuff.
    I noticed that a discounter, EdwardRHamilton.com, lists this $25.00 book for $16.95. I found my copy at the local library.
    Anyone else read it?

---

I moved this message here from another thread on the same topic.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Feb 03 - 04:58 PM

Are there lyrics?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: nutty
Date: 04 Feb 03 - 05:25 PM

Some Carter Family lyrics here Joe .....not sure if this is complete

Carter Family Lyrics

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: nutty
Date: 04 Feb 03 - 05:29 PM

More here

Original Carter Family Lyrics

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: Jim Krause
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 12:27 PM

wilco48, yep, I read it. It's as good as everyone has said. I recomended it to my bandmates.
Jim

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: Don Firth
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 12:57 PM

I have the book. Read it a couple of months ago. It's thoroughly researched and gives an excellent picture of the Carter Family in its various permutations (speaking of pictures, there are quite a few). Very well written, it reads like a novel.

There are lyrics to a few songs, but it's not intended to be any kind of songbook. There are plenty of other sources of Carter Family songs.

Highly recommended.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 03:20 PM

The book is a very good read, but it is somewhat light IMHO - I wish it could have been done by Charles Wolfe - I think his book on the Opry "A Good-Natured Riot" is an excellent blend of writing skill and scholarship.
As to the story, A.P. and Sara's story is very sad. Maybelle was a fantastic person - great musician and saved her husband and Johnny Cash from self-destruction. Shame she didn't play the banjo more - she probably would have invented bluegrass before Mr. Monroe.
Chris in Chicago

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: Mark Clark
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 04:56 PM

I received a copy as a Christmas present and finished it a few weeks ago. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Carter Family or the history of American folk, country or rock and roll forms since 1930.

The writing itself won't win the Pulitzer prize but it's good enough and offers a fascinating look at this first family of American music. I appreciated the way Zwonitzer presents a set of complete episodes rather than deal with each event in strict chronological order. It gets to the meaning instead of just the facts.

Wonderful stories of A.P. and his African American friend Lesley Riddle traveling together (in the 1920s South) in search of songs. I also enjoyed the detail on John R. Brinkley, M.D., founder of the 100,000 Watt border station XERA in Del Rio, Texas.

It's pretty clear that Zwonitzer presents the sanitized version of the Carter history but, in my opinion, that's what he should have done. I'd hate to see anyone sully the memory of these great musicians.

The odd thing is that Zwonitzer evidently begain the work some fifteen years ago. I'm guessing that it might have remained in his file cabinet were it not for the renewed interest brought about by the Coen Brothers' film and the subsequent musical tour.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: Art Thieme
Date: 06 Feb 03 - 09:16 PM

It humanized the FAMILY for me. A. P. was a real piece o' work ! All of them were---in their own ways---warts and all. I felt real sadness when it was time for each of them to pass on---like I'd lost friends. Good book.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: Mark Clark
Date: 06 Feb 03 - 11:27 PM

Hi, Art; good point. I too felt real sadness. Even though we know many of them are gone before we begin the book, Zwonitzer's narrative has drawn us into their lives to such an extent that we're grieved if not surprised at their passing.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 07 Feb 03 - 12:48 PM

I don't care for biographies but I couldn't resist this one. I've sung Carter Family songs for decades with only a vague knowledge of the Carter mythology. I really enjoyed learning about the people whose music means so much to me.

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: fsharpdim7
Date: 07 Feb 03 - 04:27 PM

I read the last part of the book on an airplane, listening to the Carter 78's on mp3 that I downloaded from the Honking Duck site - technology is great.   
The book talked about the last 2 records that Maybelle and Sara made (apparently with help from Mr. Cash) - are these part of that big CD set that has been issued, available separately, or just out of print? It would have been nice if the book had included a discography.
Carter Family and other early country songs will be sung at the jam at the Uof C folk festival on Sun morning - see ya' there.
Chris

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Feb 03 - 07:34 PM

fsharpdim7, their recordings are on:

An Historic Reunion: Sara and Maybelle The Original Carters

Sara & Maybelle Carter

~Masato

Subject: RE: Review: Carter Family Biography
From: GUEST,cjones
Date: 12 Feb 03 - 12:48 PM

Thanks, Masato

Also, I have a tab posted by Mike Joyce for You are My Flower - great song and great tab - if you haven't seen it. Some day I'm going to get that thing down.