Frank Ferera Trio
"Drowsy Waters"
This extremely rare Polk issue P9046 is sourced from Melotone 12115. It was recorded on February 25, 1931. It features legendary steel guitarist Frank Ferera who is most likely accompanied by guitarist John K. Paaluhi and ukulele player Franzis Paaluhi in this trio. As you will read below the Polk Label was only available from one source in Atlanta Georgia. This in combination with the fact that the release happened in the depths of The Great Depression make this a near impossible 78 to find. I’m thrilled to both add it to my shelves and share it with you today. Enjoy “Drowsy Waters” by the Frank Ferera Trio!
The following information was cut and pasted from a post by Bob Eagle in another rare record group.
“The POLK label was operated around November 1930 – December 1931 by Brunswick Radio Corporation (under its Brunswick-Balke-Collender ownership) on behalf of James K. Polk, Inc., a furniture company based at Atlanta, Georgia, which produced Polk - Phone Phonographs. The label’s material was sourced from Melotone label’s #12000 series. Polk C. Brockman, grandson of the company’s founder, was involved with the label. In 1929, James K. Polk, Inc. (Hugh L. Smith, manager) had premises at 300 McCall Building, Memphis, Tennessee. It claimed in the 1929 Memphis city directory to be “The South’s Largest Phonograph House, Wholesale Only”. The label design is based on Vocalion’s #5000 series labels.”