Johnson City Sessions

Johnson City Sessions. . , Frank Walker, head of Columbia Records “hillbilly” recording division, conducted recording sessions in Johnson City in 1928 and 1929. Walker was a pioneer in the art of remote recording, which was deemed more effective than bringing musicians to large northern cities to record., Walker was searching for talent from the southeastern mountains. On Saturday, October 13, 1928, he held auditions at the John Sevier Hotel in Johnson City. The following week he conducted recording sessions in makeshift studios at the Marshall Brothers Lumber Company on 334 East Main Street., Popular recordings , such as Roll on Buddy, a bluegrass standard, by Charlie Bowman and his brothers and Johnson City Blues by Clarence Greene , highlighted the 1928 sessions. Clarence Ashley's classic Coo Coo Bird was recorded in October 1929. Frank Walker also was instrumental in the careers of blues star Bessie Smith and music legend Hank Williams., Captions , Left: Frank Buckley Walker (1889-1963) scouted talent for Columbia Records' Country Music Division in the 1920s and '30s. Courtesy of MGM Records , Center, top: Charlie Bowman and the Hill Billies. Charlie was a major influence on the distinctive fiddling style in country music in the '20s and '30s. Courtesy of Bob L. Cox , Center, bottom: The Marshall Brothers Lumber Company building, ca. 1930. Courtesy of Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University , Right: The Columbia Records platter, Railroad Take Me Back, recorded in 1929 by Charlie Bowman's daughters, Jennie and Pauline, in New York. Courtesy of Bob L. Cox