Electro-Vox – Farewell Message of King Edward VIII – 1936

On December 11th in 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry the American Wallis Simpson, becoming the Duke of Windsor.  After revealing his plans to marry Simpson to British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, his cabinet informed him that the people would not tolerate the divorced woman as queen, as remarriage was opposed by the Church of England.  King Edward was faced with three options: to dump Wallis, to go against the wishes of the British government, or to abdicate the throne.  Unwilling to give up his fiancée, Edward chose to abdicate.  He signed the papers on December 10, and on the evening of December 11, 1936, King Edward VIII, in a speech broadcast around the world via radio, formally abdicated the throne of England, and his brother, George VI became king thereafter.  After the change, George granted Edward the title of “Duke of Windsor”.  George would be the king that would see England into World War II.

This unnumbered Electro-Vox record was recorded December 11, 1936 in Los Angeles, California from the live radio broadcast of King Edward VIII’s abdication speech in London.  This speech was also issued on a variety of other labels, including Brunswick and Columbia.  Many of those other issues were on standard sized ten-inch records; this one is a twelve-inch.

Besides the speech, one highlight of this recording is a chance to hear the tolling of Big Ben, all the way back in ’36.

Farewell Message, recorded December 11, 1936 by King Edward VIII.

Farewell Message, recorded December 11, 1936 by King Edward VIII.

Broadcast Twelve 3203 – Carson Robison and his Pioneers – 1932

Please note: this article dates to Old Time Blues’ first year and does not meet the standard of quality to which more recent postings are held.  Thank you for your understanding.

The other day I had the pleasure of acquiring a small selection of British records, which are always a treat for their diversity of content.  Among my souvenirs was this one on the Broadcast Twelve label.  Given that it is by an American artist, I first presumed that it was recorded in the United States and exported to the UK for pressing.  However, I questioned whether Broadcast Twelve had ever even used imported masters, as some labels did, and I began to remember hearing about Carson Robison visiting Europe around the time the record was made.

Sure enough, in 1932, Carson Robison and his Pioneers embarked on one of the first country music tours of the British Isles, and Broadcast Twelve 3203 was recorded in London, England in May of 1932.  Personnel includes Carson Robison on guitar, harmonica and vocal with John and Bill Mitchell on banjos and guitars, Frank Novak on string bass, and an unknown fiddle.

I don’t know why it is, but it seems like somehow American artists played with more vigor and gusto in recordings made while touring overseas.

On the first side, Robison’s Pioneers don’t disappoint with Stephen Foster’s “Oh! Susannah”, which features the Mitchell Brothers really tearing it up on their banjos.  Seems to me, Carson Robison doesn’t get enough credit, the more I hear of him, the better I like his work.

Oh! Susannah, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

Oh! Susannah, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

“Sweet Virginia” can’t live up to the standard set by the “A” side, though it does feature a nice piece of Carson Robison’s whistling, and a vocal by Pearl Pickens.

Sweet Virginia, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

Sweet Virginia, recorded May 1932 by Carson Robison and his Pioneers.

Updated with improved audio on May 8, 2017, and on October 13, 2017.