Loudon Wainwright III

Released 2009/Acquired 2021/Listened 2022

This is subtitled “The Charlie Poole Project,” and the back cover reads “A Grand Gathering of Songs Both Old and Original…Loudon Wainwright III revisits the life, times, and recorded legacy of legendary singer and banjo picker Charlie Poole (1892-1931).”

Charlie Poole was a very early recording artist, part of the initial group when Columbia and other record companies went into the South to record local musicians. Poole’s first recording was made in 1925, and he recorded 100 or so songs before his death six years later. Poole didn’t write his own music, but he played a wide variety of it: bluegrass, gospel, sentimental songs, vaudeville cut-ups. Poole himself was a charming rogue, a mill worker, bootlegger, drunk more often than not (resulting in his early death at 39).

Loudon Wainwright and producer Dick Connette decided to make a recorded “bio-pic” of Poole, playing his music and writing songs about him. They brought in an all-star ensemble to record the songs: Loudon’s children Rufus, Martha, and Lucy; his long-time friend Chaim Tannenbaum; the Roches; and top instrumentalists like David Mansfield and Chris Thile.

This is just a wonderful collection. The old songs are delightful, and the new ones outstanding. I absolutely love the one from the perspective of Charlie’s second wife, sung by Maggie Roche, “The Man in the Moon.”

It was hard bein’ married to Charlie –
It was no kind of regular life.
He never stopped ramblin’ or drinkin’ or gamblin’.
At least not while I was his wife.

I never knew what he was up to,
Except for those postcards he’d send –
Just a coupla lines to say he was fine,
And he’d sign them “C. Poole, your old friend.”

Now and again out of nowhere,
He’d come back with his hat in his hand,
And I could never stay angry
With that dear sweet impossible man.
Sometimes he’d sing in the kitchen,
Sometimes we’d cuddle and spoon,
But mostly I couldn’t help feeling
Like I married the man in the moon.

The package is taller than standard, and there’s a paperback inside with the lyrics and the story of Charlie’s life, complete with photos. The music, rather than emulating Charlie’s recordings, are in a more contemporary style. (Charlie’s music is available on cd; he was also represented on Harry Smith’s classic Anthology of American Folk Music and on the Sony/Columbia Soundtrack for a Century.) Highly recommended for anyone interested in the period. I didn’t know anything about this until looking through Loudon Wainwright’s discography; I’m really glad to have found it.