Charlie McFadden

Charles Pertum, known professionally as Charlie "Specks" McFadden (April 24, 1895 – November 15, 1966), was an American country blues singer and songwriter. On his few recordings, released from 1929 to 1937, he was accompanied by Roosevelt Sykes, Lonnie Johnson, Pinetop Sparks and others. His most notable song was one he wrote, "Groceries on the Shelf (Piggly Wiggly)", which he recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, about February 1930. There is little information about his life outside of his recordings.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 24, 1895 (Quincy), Died November 15, 1966 (St. Louis)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1937

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, lyricist, songwriter

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BS-76831	10-in.	8/2/1933	Piggly Wiggly blues	Willie Kelly ; Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-76832	10-in.	8/2/1933	People, people	Willie Kelly ; Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, composer
Victor	BS-76833	10-in.	8/2/1933	Friendless man	Charlie McFadden ; Aaron Sparks	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-76834	10-in.	8/2/1933	Times are so tight	Charlie McFadden ; Aaron Sparks	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-77277	10-in.	12/9/1933	Low down rounders blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
Victor	BS-77278	10-in.	12/9/1933	Last journey blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
Victor	BS-77279	10-in.	12/9/1933	Hold it where you got it	Willie Kelly ; Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-77280	10-in.	12/9/1933	Lonesome ghost blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
OKeh	W402455	10-in.	6/14/1929	Gambler's blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with (fiddle) violin and piano	vocalist
OKeh	W402456	10-in.	6/14/1929	Misunderstood blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with (fiddle) violin and piano	vocalist, composer
OKeh	W402457	10-in.	6/14/1929	Moon and star blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano	vocalist
OKeh	W402458	10-in.	6/14/1929	Broken down blues	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano	vocalist
OKeh	W402461	10-in.	6/14/1929	Don't bite that thing	Charlie McFadden	Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and piano	vocalist
Brunswick	C4673	10-in.	10/18/1929	Broken down blues	Charles “Speck” Pertum	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, songwriter
Brunswick	C4674	10-in.	10/18/1929	Weak eyed blues	Charles “Speck” Pertum	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, songwriter
Brunswick	C4677	10-in.	10/19/1929	Gambler’s blues	Charles “Speck” Pertum	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
Brunswick	C4678	10-in.	10/19/1929	Harvest moon blues	Charles “Speck” Pertum	Male vocal solo, with piano	vocalist, composer
Decca	91208	10-in.	4/30/1937	Groceries on my shelf	Charlie McFadden		vocalist
Decca	91209	10-in.	4/30/1937	People people	Charlie McFadden		vocalist
Decca	91214	10-in.	4/30/1937	Come easy, go easy	Charlie McFadden		vocalist
Decca	91215	10-in.	4/30/1937	My best days are gone	Charlie McFadden		vocalist

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McFadden, Charlie," accessed April 16, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107424.

McFadden, Charlie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 16, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107424.

"McFadden, Charlie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 16 April 2024.

Wikidata: Charlie "Specks" McFadden - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q19277273

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/73120243

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.