In a tumultuous election year, it’s hard to imagine a politician who not only stood up for his constituents on public policy but also stood behind a microphone in the famous circle of the Ryman Auditorium, playing the Grand Ole Opry.
Charlie Albertson may very well be eastern North Carolina’s version of Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” with a little Gene Autry thrown in for good measure.
At 92, Albertson lives in Beulaville, within a half mile from where he grew up. After retiring from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albertson served as a legislator for 22 years (four in the N.C. House and 18 in the state Senate) all while making music.
“We listened to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night,” Albertson remembers. “My father played the banjo, so music was in the house.”
Albertson said as a young fellow he would go to dances but didn’t want to just stand around and look at the guys playing. He was determined to learn how to play, himself.
“I took guitar lessons from a blind lady. She and her husband both were blind but they were good musicians and they’d come to churches and sing. She taught me some chords — taught me the first song I learned to play.”
And the story of how the band “Charlie Albertson and the Swingmasters,” began when he was in the 12th grade is classic preparation-meets-opportunity.
“I was at a basketball game one night and I heard there was a band playing. After basketball I walked over where three guys were playing for a little dance they were doing. I don’t know how they knew I sang a little, but they asked me to get up and sing a song, so I did.
“And from that night, I started playing with those guys, and we played in the American Legion every Saturday night for 19 years.”
On Saturdays before the dance, the band would go to WLSE radio station to do a broadcast, as well as WRRZ in Clinton. In those early years Charlie Albertson and the Swingmasters included Clyde Mattocks, Jesse Bryant, Linwood Brinkley and Carlton James.
“That was a good time back in those days because there wasn’t a lot of media like we have today, TV and all that stuff. All the people listened to the radio,” Albertson said. “We’d get together and go to the studio and have a good time and some good listening audience too.
“The radio is what people would gather around when you came back from working in the fields, or lunchtime,” he said. “And on a Saturday night, you’d gather around the radio to listen to the Grand Ole Opry. I mean that was the highlight of the week — to try to hear a song by Roy Acuff, Uncle Dave Macon and all those folks. The radio connected us to the outside world. Radio was so big then, so popular and important.”
Albertson remembers that most radio stations would play a song of faith every hour. And the radio station call letters meant something to the community. WLSE in Wallace stood for “World’s Largest Strawberry Exchange.” WFMC in Goldsboro was “Working for Modern Carolina.”
The band also played on Carolina Today with Slim Short on WNCT-TV in Greenville. Albertson also remembers playing once or twice a month, for 30 years, at the NCO club at Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro.
Having served in the United States Air Force, Albertson later toured overseas four different times through 26 countries, playing for military personnel and defense contractors.
“We were the last group to go to Iran. That was just before they overthrew the Shah. They had curfews on all the towns. That was a 56-day tour. It was the longest and the last one.,” he said.
Albertson remembers that tour, with the challenges of going through different countries and time zones, as a wake-up call.
“Of course I was in charge of a band, keeping up with the guys on the bus, being at the right place on time. It takes a lot out of you,” he said. “So after I did that long tour, I knew that’s not what I wanted to do all the time.
“I played a show with Tommy Cash a couple of times. He was Johnny’s brother…he had a couple of hit songs. He said, ‘I could get you a good recording contract with a label, but you’ll have to do one thing.’ I said, ‘What’s that?’ He said, ‘You’ll have to move to Nashville.’
“Well I was married, had two children, had a good little job working with USDA, one of the lowest paid employees, but it was regular coming in, that I could count on,” Albertson said. “And I knew had I done that, I probably would have lost my family, my marriage. It would not have worked out for me. It was a good opportunity but I’ve never been sorry I didn’t do that.”
Concerning his longevity, Albertson acknowledges the factors of good genes, cleaning livin and music.
“Music is really good therapy. You’ve got a good group to play with, you get in the music and it just takes your mind off of everything,” he said. “I couldn’t wait for Saturday night when I was farming or working for the USDA for that matter. It really gave me something to look forward to. I think I would have done it, had there been any money in it or not.”
As far as politics are concerned, he thinks he came by it naturally.
“My father didn’t have much education, but he served on the school board. He was the undertaker in the community. He was an officer in the church we attended. He was always doing things in the community to make it better so I think that was sort of in my DNA.”
He says it seems like politics has changed a great deal, and he’s not sure it’s for the better. But he emphasizes, “I do think it’s important for people to care about their community — to get involved — to try to make it a better place. It’s not always easy. But you do some things and it makes you feel good about it.”
Over the course of his dual careers, Albertson played on the Grand Ole Opry, wrote songs recorded by household names, and earned the Order of the Long Leaf Pin, just for starters. He’s written songs about current events, and is still releasing new music.
Albertson still enjoys performing with longtime friend, Clyde Mattocks, and “Without Further Ado” on the third Tuesday night of the month at Galaxy of Skating 4010 W. Vernon Ave., Kinston, for the senior dance.
PBS North Carolina is airing “The Singing Senator,” a documentary about Charlie Albertson’s life at 10 p.m. July 25 at 10 p.m. Tune in to learn the rest of his story.
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