Posey Rorer
Encyclopedia
Posey Rorer was an old-time fiddler
who was best known for being a member of the American string band
Charlie Poole
and the North Carolina Ramblers.
. He suffered from severely clubbed feet for the first 30 years of his life. At the age of 10 he learned to play the banjo but soon switched to the fiddle. In 1917, he moved to West Virginia but due to the flu epidemic of 1919, he had to return to Virginia. Rorer had become close friends with Charlie Poole and together they performed all over North Carolina in the 1920s. In 1925, Rorer together with Charlie Poole and Norman Woodlieff formed the North Carolina Ramblers. They went to New York to record for Columbia Records
. They made their recording debut on July 27, 1925. When Norman Woodlieff left the band in 1926 he was replaced by Roy Harvey. Between September 1926 and February 1928, the band was often led by Roy Harvey during recording sessions since Charlie Poole was not present. In 1928, Rorer left the North Carolina Ramblers over some disagreements concerning record royalties. He was quickly replaced by Lonnie Austin.
Rorer joined the duo of Walter Smith and Norman Woodlieff recording for Gennett Records
in March 1929. In March 1930, he recorded with Buster Carter and Lewis McDaniels alternately calling themselves the Carolina Buddies or the Dixie Ramblers. Later in 1930, Rorer and Carter teamed up with Preston Young and formed a trio using the North Carolina Ramblers as a model. They went to New York for an audition. They made their first recordings in June 1931 cutting 10 songs. Although Rorer continued to make recordings with different bands, The Great Depression finally forced him to retire from music. He began working as a woodcutter and in 1936 for the Works Progress Administration. He died in June 1936 of a heart attack.
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
who was best known for being a member of the American string band
String band
A string band is an old-time music or jazz ensemble made up mainly or solely of string instruments. String bands were popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and are among the forerunners of modern country music and bluegrass.-String bands in old-time music:...
Charlie Poole
Charlie Poole
Charlie Poole was an American old time banjo player and country musician and the leader of the North Carolina Ramblers, an American old-time string band that recorded many popular songs between 1925 to 1930.-Biography:...
and the North Carolina Ramblers.
Biography
Posey Wilson Rorer was born in Franklin County, VirginiaFranklin County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,286 people, 18,963 households, and 13,918 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 22,717 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
. He suffered from severely clubbed feet for the first 30 years of his life. At the age of 10 he learned to play the banjo but soon switched to the fiddle. In 1917, he moved to West Virginia but due to the flu epidemic of 1919, he had to return to Virginia. Rorer had become close friends with Charlie Poole and together they performed all over North Carolina in the 1920s. In 1925, Rorer together with Charlie Poole and Norman Woodlieff formed the North Carolina Ramblers. They went to New York to record for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. They made their recording debut on July 27, 1925. When Norman Woodlieff left the band in 1926 he was replaced by Roy Harvey. Between September 1926 and February 1928, the band was often led by Roy Harvey during recording sessions since Charlie Poole was not present. In 1928, Rorer left the North Carolina Ramblers over some disagreements concerning record royalties. He was quickly replaced by Lonnie Austin.
Rorer joined the duo of Walter Smith and Norman Woodlieff recording for Gennett Records
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
in March 1929. In March 1930, he recorded with Buster Carter and Lewis McDaniels alternately calling themselves the Carolina Buddies or the Dixie Ramblers. Later in 1930, Rorer and Carter teamed up with Preston Young and formed a trio using the North Carolina Ramblers as a model. They went to New York for an audition. They made their first recordings in June 1931 cutting 10 songs. Although Rorer continued to make recordings with different bands, The Great Depression finally forced him to retire from music. He began working as a woodcutter and in 1936 for the Works Progress Administration. He died in June 1936 of a heart attack.