White Blues and Zydeco

Fiddlin" John Carson and his daughter Rosa Lee (Moonshine Kate) was the first country blues vocal of "Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" for Okeh Records. Former Governor or Louisiana, Jimmie Davis, recorded a hokum version of "Down at the Country Church" for Victor Records in 1931. Another form of white blues was "Talking Blues," where the performer spoke the lyrics against a rhythmic background rather than singing them. There was Chris Bouchillon's "Talking Blues"' for Columbia Records in 1926. Other artists to follow this pattern were, Lonnie Glossom's "Arkansas Hard Luck Blues" in 1936 for the Conqueror Label and "Talking Dust Bowl Blues" by Woody Guthrie for the Victor Label in 1940. During the 1940s, Woody worked with popular black artists like Leadbelly, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry and Big Bill Broonzy in New York. Broonzy's blues played a major part in Bob Dylan's career in the 1960s.

The duo learn of Torn Darby and Jimmie Tarlton were kept busy in the recording studios of three major companies between 1927 to 1933. Darby and Tarlton recorded "Birmingham Jail" and "Columbus Stockade Blues" that became a two-sided hit for Columbia Records. Although the record sold more than two hundred thousand copies, all they received was a flat sum of $75 each. This was because of the insistence of Darby's influence over Tarlton to take the $75 rather than accept the royalty rate that would have awarded them thousands of dollars each.