This song was uploaded for **Shirley's Bday** as a part of HolyLindyLand's Song of the week. More songs of the week can be found at www.holylindyland.com
The Cats And The Fiddle was one of the pre-eminent, pioneering R&B vocal groups of 1930s, and its place in the history of this style is assured. It was 1937 when the group formed, amalgamating two earlier, separate bands: the "Harlem Harmony Hounds," led by singer Austin Powell, and the aspiring trio of Jimmie Henderson, Chuck Barksdale and Ernie Price. The latter, Chicago-based group needed a lead singer, and Powell slipped into this role perfectly, so that the initial four-part vocal-instrumental line-up was born. "The Fiddle" in the group's name is not purely whimsical: it alludes to the stand-up bass they used, while in jazz parlance each member of the group was a "hep cat". -- taken from "singers.com"
@MrJnobianchi. They also had a guy playing the tiple. That's the instrument that sounds somewhat like a mandolin or a high-pitched 12-string guitar.
jayro76 4 months ago
@MrJnobianchi You won;t get any argument from me about Austin Powell's abilities . . . but I thought this side was from later on when Tiny Grimes had joined the group - I was under the impression that they were 100% accoustic until Grimes joined, and that's obviously an electric guitar on the solo . . . but I could be wrong . . .
micheljch 5 months ago
Not just a solo on guitar - its tenor guitar, tuned like a four-string banjo. Nobody but Austin Powell played that way. Just an amazing and skilled group.
MrJnobianchi 6 months ago
Damn good stuff, that guitar solo is nasty!!
jahlion67 8 months ago
love it :)
abouseif58 11 months ago