"The Prisoner's Song" (Vernon Dalhart "Country Music Pioneer") by The Fats Domino Project by Steve Gabe

Vernon Dalhart, a Country Music "pioneer" recorded in 1924, originally sang this Hillbilly Music genre song just prior to the "Big Bang of Country Music" in 1927 also called The Bristol Sessions. The B side was "The Wreck of the Old 97" on Victor Talking Machine Co. Records. Ralph Peer and Earnest "Pop" Stoneman set up recording sessions in Bristol, Tennessee, for Victor which resulted in the very first recordings by Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, two of the most influential acts in country music history. These sessions are called the "Big Bang of Country Music" because they provided the earliest recordings of modern country music.

In Eddie Huffman's "Doc Watson - A Life in Music" (2025) (introduction p. 4-5) regarding his early exposure to the Country Music genre growing up in North Carolina states: "But no one opened the doors to traditional music and its rich history for me more than Kinney Rorrer, who cohosted 'The Saturday Hall of Fame' on WAKG ('Country Sunshine'), just over the state line in Danville, Virginia- site of the 'Wreck of the Old 97', inspiration for a country standard. Between testimonials for Big Floyd's hot dogs and shout-outs to listener's relatives, Rorrer offered up country music in all of its glory, from such pioneers as VERNON DALHART to then current 1980's stars such as Lacy J. Dalton. He gave little history lessons along with the records, telling great stories and weaving together the colorful threads of American Music. (Rorrer continues the tradition all these years later with 'The County Sales Radio Hour' on Radio Bristol-you can hear it online. He has played at least one Doc song on every episode I've heard.)" To order the book: https://uncpress.org/book/9781469680354/doc-watson/

The Fats Domino Project is:
Steve Gabe - Guitar / Vocals
Blackie Pagano - Bass (Expert Amp Repair/Restore: blackiepagano.com/contact)
Paul Kostabi - Drums / Omnichord / Hammond B3

Produced and engineered by Paul @ Thunderdome Studios Piermont NY thunderdomestudios.com