BILL CARLISLE
Bill Carlisle was a Kentucky singer, guitarist and songwriter who began his recording career performing with his older brother, Cliff Carlisle, one of country music's greatest yodelers. Although he would later become famous as the comic entertainer "Jumpin' Bill Carlisle," his earliest recordings reveal a skilled singer and guitarist whose style was deeply influenced by Jimmie Rodgers and the brother-duet tradition of the 1930s.
A SHACK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
Recorded February 16, 1937 – Charlotte, North Carolina
Matrix 07074-1 - Bluebird B-7470
"A Shack By the Side of the Road" is a sentimental waltz expressing a longing for a quiet, simple life shared with a loved one. Recorded before Bill Carlisle developed the humorous stage persona that later made him famous, the performance highlights his warm tenor voice and tasteful guitar accompaniment. Sung in 3/4 time, it reflects the influence of both popular song and early country ballad traditions.
PENITENTIARY BLUES
Recorded September 4, 1934 — New York, New York
Matrix: 15821-2 - Vocalion 02819
“Penitentiary Blues” is one of Bill Carlisle’s early solo recordings, using prison life as the setting for a characteristically lively blues number. Carlisle’s performance mixes complaint with humor, and his yodeling and harmonica give the song a restless quality that keeps it from becoming a conventional prison lament.
