Old-Time Texas Fiddler
Country music, scholars say, begins here. In 1922 RCA/Victor released a 78 featuring two songs that are now classic: "Sallie Gooden" and "Arkansas Traveler." The performer was Texan Eck Robertson, a long-bow fiddle champion. The popularity of that recording established RCA's hillbilly catalogue and opened the door for commercial old-time music across the South. While Robertson never saw much profit from these recordings, his early career--the whole of it is represented here--set a standard that country fiddlers still emulate. "Sallie Gooden" especially is an incredible, virtuoso piece, as rich and complex as a Charlie Parker solo, one of the most important performances in country music. These are old recordings, transferred directly from 78s, and so there are some pops and hiss, but the brilliance of Robertson's aggressive fiddle work sears right through.--Roy Kasten