Shannon Quartet - Little Alabama Coon [Victor 19343 A, 1923, 71 rpm, flat and restored]

Once upon a time in America, before civil rights and the concept of racial equality, there was such a thing as a "coon song," with the reference being delivered with no disrespect to African-Americans. Just like indentured servitude was depicted in "Gone with the Wind," as a fact of history, an example of what constituted a "coon song" is posted here as a historical document. It also deserves mention here that Gennett Records of Richmond, Indiana, who recorded some of the finest New Orleans and Chicago jazz musicians of the day, including Louis Armstrong as a member of King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Wikipedia makes this claim: "The Gennett company produced the Gennett, Starr, Champion, Superior, and Van Speaking labels, and also produced some Supertone, Silvertone, and Challenge records under contract. The firm pressed most Autograph, Rainbow, Hitch, KKK, Our Song, and Vaughn records under contract." Notice the mention of KKK and Our Song. These were labels of the Ku Klux Klan, which was heavily organized in Indiana. Not being in possession of any 78 rpm discs on either label, it is not possible to post any samples of their records, however it is known that one record, "The Bright Fiery Cross" (sung to the tune of "The Old Rugged Cross") b/w "The Jolly Old Klansman" is less than scarce today, but such a record is not (and would not be) in this person's library, even as a historical document. If any KKK, Our Song, or Special label records were to cross paths here, they would be donated to the Smithsonian Institute. "Little Alabama Coon" has been recorded by several labels and artists between 1910 and 1925. Ada Jones recorded it for Edison, and Louise, Ferera and Greenus recorded it for Columbia. None of the recording artists were African-American. Few African-Americans had recording contracts back then, and few had phonographs or the disposable income buy records. That's just the way it was.