Let us now praise consistency. Bear Family’s latest collection of recordings by Wilf Carter (popularly known as Montana Slim) demonstrates how the style of this cowboy singer from Nova Scotia remained absolutely unchanged throughout his life. The eight-CD set chronicles sessions from December 1933 through late 1941, and the first song is largely interchangable with the last — a statement that would apply to most of his life’s work.
Considering the pervasiveness of yodels found here, the title of Carter’s own “The Yodeling Trailrider” might have proven a more accurate pseudonym than Montana Slim. But in spite of his penchant for yodeling, Carter never appeared to be influenced by Jimmie Rodgers in the same manner as the Brakeman’s more famous disciples from this era.
Rodgers’ relaxed and infectious manner conveys the depth of life’s joys and disappointments; Carter’s intensive double-time flourishes sound as if he is calling stray sheep, or communicating with a distant mountain range. The yodel in “My Little Swiss And Me”, for example, conjures vivid imagery of the Alps.
In his own time, as today, Carter was often lost in the glare of brighter lights surrounding him, many of whom also began their careers with yodels. Fellow countryman Hank Snow originally billed himself as “The Yodeling Ranger” until a friend pointed out that he had never once heard Hank yodel. Ernest Tubb featured yodels in his early appearances, but a tonsillectomy cut these from his repertoire.
Unlike Carter, both Tubb and Snow spent much of the 1930s consciously emulating Rodgers. But if Carter’s style seemed steadfastly immune to such powerful stimuli, his music would, in turn, have a limited influence upon fellow singers. As such, in spite of an unusually long career (he died in December 1996, at 91), Carter is the type of artist who could easily slip through the cracks of country music’s collective memory.
An insular performer, Carter composed the majority of his own large catalog, which was made up of valid if similar songs. Frequently criticized for this sameness of style, he never changed his approach. Clearly this was intentional, for the man knew who he was. In fact, the complete text of Carter’s 1961 autobiography is included with this new collection.
In the book, as on every track of the eight CDs, Carter will tell you himself — here was a proud singer of cowboy songs, always offering the best he had. He reveled in presenting straightforward tales of the trail, and especially of his beloved Canada.
Wilf Carter never tried to be anything but what he was, and always sang from the heart. Who could find fault with that?