High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project

About High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project

High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project is the 20th studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III. The album, a double-CD released on August 18, 2009 on 2nd Story Sound, pays tribute to singer and banjo picker Charlie Poole (1892–1931). It features 30 tracks, including new versions of songs made popular by Poole from 1925 through 1930, as well as original songs on Poole's turbulent life by Wainwright and producer Dick Connette. More than 25 artists contributed to the album, including Wainwright's children, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche, all singer-songwriters in their own right; his sister, singer-songwriter Sloan Wainwright; Maggie, Suzzy and Terre Roche of The Roches; Gabriel Kahane on piano; Chris Thile, mandolinist and vocalist; and Geoff Muldaur, a founding member of the 1960s group Jim Kweskin Jug Band. The album won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. more »