Site last updated .
This particular page was created 11/12/2003 and last updated 28/08/2004
Site updates |
| | James Wheeler is credited as the first to play Irish banjo music on record. In 1916 and 1917 he and accordionist Edward ("Eddie") Herborn (also spelled "Harban") recorded a number of Irish traditional tunes for Columbia. The "Stack of Barley" record was so successful it almost single-handedly created the Irish-American recording industry. I haven't been able to find out much about James Wheeler, but he must have played the five string banjo since it was the only kind of banjo commonly in use at that time. The recording session notes doesn't mention singing, and all the tracks are known as instrumentlas, so it's almost certain the duo performed instrumental. Whether Wheeler played solo or rhythm is hard to say, but it was probably solo. The Online 78rpm Discographical Project lists these recordings by Wheeler and Herborn: | Title | Recorded | Label | MX |
|---|
| Maid behind the bar | 09/15/1916 | A-2147 | 47022=1 | | Rambler's jig | 09/15/1916 | A-2147 | 47022=2 | | The Mouse In the Cupboard (jig) | 12/18/1916 | A-2182 | 47242=2 | | Miss Dalton's Reel | 12/18/1916 | A-2182 | 47243-1 | | Stack of Barley | 01/09/1917 | A-2217 | 47280=1 | | Rocky Road to Dublin | 01/09/1917 | A-2217 | 47281=1 |
As far as I know, no James Wheeler records are available today neither on CD nor as mp3 files on the web.
| |
|