Rosa Lee Carson

Moonshine Kate (born Rosa Lee Carson, October 10, 1909, Atlanta, Georgia - 1992, Bainbridge, Georgia) was an American country and folk guitarist and banjo player who is best known for recording with her father Fiddlin' John Carson and his band, the Virginia Reelers. Kate was among the earliest recorded women in country music, and arguably her best remembered song was a rendition of her father's composition "Little Mary Phagan".

Carson was born the youngest of nine children in Atlanta, Georgia. As early as the age of five, she appeared as a vocalist and dancer at stage shows and political rallies as an accompaniment to her father's musical act. By age 14, Carson proficiently performed with the guitar and banjo as she played alongside her father on Atlanta's flagship radio station, WSB, and toured with him and the Virginia Reelers throughout Georgia. When Carson graduated from high school, she became a permanent member of the band.

In June 1925, Carson made her recording debut accompanying her father on guitar on four sides for OKeh Records. In the same session, she also recorded two solo efforts, "The Lonely Child", which was about a lonely wandering orphan, and "Little Mary Phagan". The somber ballad was composed by Fiddlin' Jon Carson in 1915, as a response to the notorious, and highly publicized murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, which was allegedly perpetrated by her manager, Leo Frank. She played and recorded with the Virginia Reelers until 1934, adopting the stage name Moonshine Kate in 1928 at the suggestion of Okeh Records man Polk Brockman. Many of Kate's recordings for Okeh play up her name, consisting of short musical passages interspersed with quick-witted dialogues revolving around the moonshine trade.

The Great Depression ended the Carsons' recording days, and she continued to perform intermittently, also working with Eugene Talmadge on his 1932 bid for Governor of Georgia and for the Atlanta Department of Recreation. She married in 1944 and retired in Georgia. In 1983, both she and her father were inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 10, 1909 (Atlanta), Died 1992 (Bainbridge)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, speaker, banjo, songwriter, composer, lyricist, yodeling

Notes: Daughter of John Carson ("Fiddlin' John Carson"). Also known as "Moonshine Kate."

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 131 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W403921 10-in. 4/24/1930 The hen and the rooster Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Fiddle (violin) and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W403922 10-in. 4/24/1930 Goin' where the climate suits my clothes Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W403923 10-in. 4/24/1930 The Dominicker duck Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W403924 10-in. 4/24/1930 Silver threads among the gold Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate Female-male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W403925 10-in. 4/24/1930 On the banks of the old Tennessee Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate Female-male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W403926 10-in. 4/24/1930 You gotta let my dog alone Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate Dialogue, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar instrumentalist, guitar, speaker  
OKeh W403927 10-in. 4/24/1930 John in the army Fiddlin' John Carson Instrumental trio and male vocal solo, with comic dialogue speaker  
OKeh W403928 10-in. 4/24/1930 The old grey horse ain't what he used to be Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate Dialogue, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar speaker, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W403929 10-in. 4/24/1930 You can’t forget the day you was born Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate Female-male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404620 10-in. 12/9/1930 After the ball Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404621 10-in. 12/9/1930 My home in Dixieland Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Mixed vocal trio, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404622 10-in. 12/9/1930 The old ship is sailing for the promised land Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Mixed vocal trio, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404623 10-in. 12/9/1930 That woman don’t treat John right Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Instrumental ensemble, with vocal instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404624 10-in. 12/9/1930 At the cross Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Mixed vocal trio and male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404625 10-in. 12/9/1930 Take the train to Charlotte Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Mixed vocal trio and male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404626 10-in. 12/9/1930 Little more sugar in the coffee Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Male vocal solo and male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404627 10-in. 12/9/1930 Didn’t he ramble Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Mixed vocal trio, with fiddle (violin), banjo, and guitar instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
OKeh W404628 10-in. 12/9/1930 You gonna get something you don’t expect Fiddlin' John Carson ; Virginia Reelers Instrumental ensemble, with vocal instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404642 10-in. 12/9/1930 The brave soldier Moonshine Kate and her Pals Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404643 10-in. 12/9/1930 Are you going to leave the old home? Moonshine Kate and her Pals Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404644 10-in. 12/9/1930 The poor girl's story Moonshine Kate and her Pals Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404645 10-in. 12/9/1930 Texas bound Moonshine Kate and her Pals Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404646 10-in. 12/10/1930 I smell your hoecake a-burning Moonshine Kate and her Pals Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404647 10-in. 12/10/1930 Knotty Head Jake Fiddlin' John Carson ; Moonshine Kate Female-male vocal duet, with instrumental accompaniment vocalist  
OKeh W405070 10-in. 10/30/1931 Log cabin home Moonshine Kate Female vocal solo, with guitar vocalist  
(Results 101-125 of 131 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Carson, Rosa Lee," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/201619.

Carson, Rosa Lee. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/201619.

"Carson, Rosa Lee." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/201619

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