The Chataqua movement which brought uplifting culture to rural America...and rural Canada near the border... had lots of artists in various circuits. But rarely does one find a well known celebrity...let alone one that made records... other than the political or religious speakers or Bohimur Kryl's band. So I was surprised this weekend when I picked up the season brochure for the 1922 Swarthmore circuit and found " Old Country Fiddler" Charles Ross Taggart complete with Victrola XVI.
Most Chautauqua artists were eminently respectable, but are about as well known as Emily Farrow Gregory here. ( Who?)
On a personal note, my grandmother's sister actually traveled with the Chautauqua as an elocutionist or monologist. Worked for her: she was quite pretty and picked up a quite well-to-do stage door Johnny in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and married him. And lived more or less happily ever after . I'm not making this up!
Jim
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