Title: Carson J. Robinson's World's Greatest Collection of Mountain Ballads and Old Time Songs: With Words and Music, Guitar Chords and Piano Accompaniment. Contains 50 big hits.

Publisher: M.M. Cole Publishing Co.

Publishing Date: 1930

Illustrated: No

Interior Condition: Very good

Exterior Condition: Good, with some spine wear.

Size: 9" x 12"

Pages: 68

Comments: Carson Jay Robison (1890-1957) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although his impact is generally forgotten today, he played a major role in promoting country music in its early years through numerous recordings and radio appearances. He was also known as Charles Robison and sometimes composed under the pseudonym Carlos B. McAfee. In 1924 he moved to New York City and was signed to his first recording contract with Victor Records. Also that year, Robison started a professional collaboration with Vernon Dalhart, one of the era's most notable singers. Through this relationship, Robison realized huge success, mainly as a songwriter but also as a musician, accompanying Dalhart on guitar, harmonica, whistling, and harmony vocals. In one of their first collaborations, Robison accompanied Dalhart on the landmark recording of "The Wreck of the Old '97" b/w "Prisoner's Song" (1924), widely regarded as country music's first million-seller. During this period, Robison also became a successful composer of "event" songs, which recounted current events or tragedies in a predictable fashion, usually concluding in a moral lesson. Some popular examples of his topical compositions include "The Wreck of the Number 9" and "The John T. Scopes Trial", about the famous Scopes Monkey Trial. In 1928, after Dalhart made a personnel change without consulting Robison, their relationship ended. Although the breakup did not prove lucrative for either artist, Robison continued to record for decades to come. According to Billboard, his 1942 recording of the standard "Turkey in the Straw" was that year's top selling country recording. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. His most famous recording was 1948's "Life Gets Tee-Jus Don't It", a worldwide hit. Although he played country music for most of his career, he is also remembered for writing the lyrics for "Barnacle Bill the Sailor" with music composed by Frank Luther. Also, in 1956, he recorded the novelty rock & roll song "Rockin' and Rollin' With Grandmaw."