BEULAVILLE — 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.
PBS North Carolina is airing a documentary about Albertson’s life and career, “The Singing Senator,” on July 25 at 10 p.m.
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 state legislator for 22 years — four in the House and 18 in the Senate — all while still continuing to make music.
“We listened to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights,” Albertson remembers. “My father played the banjo, so music was in the house.”
Albertson recalls as young fellow going to dances. But he didn’t want to just stand around and look at the guys playing music, so he decided to learn how to play himself.
“I took guitar lessons from a blind lady,” he said. “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.”
How Albertson began the band Charlie Albertson and the Swingmasters when he was in the 12th grade is classic preparation-meets-opportunity story.
“I was at a basketball game one night and I heard there was a band playing,” Albertson said. “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 over to WLSE radio station to do a broadcast, then to 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,” Albertson said. “All the people listened to the radio. 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 continued. “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 about faith every hour. And radio station call letters had their own meaning in the community. WLSE in Wallace, for example, stood for “World’s Largest Strawberry Exchange.” WFMC in Goldsboro was “Working for Modern Carolina.”
Albertson’s 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 Air Force Base in Goldsboro.
A U.S. Air Force veteran, Albertson and his band 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,” he said. “That was just before they overthrew the Shah (in 1979). They had curfews on all the towns. That was a 56-day tour. It was the longest and the last one.”
Albertson remembers that tour, with all its challenges of passing through different countries and time zones, as a wakeup 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,” he said. “It takes a lot out of you. 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 continued. “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 (U.S. Department of Agriculture), 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.”
Asked to what he attributes his longevity, Albertson says good genes, clean living and music.
“Music is really good therapy,” he said. “You’ve got a good group to play with, you get in the music and it just takes your mind off of everything. 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.”
He believes he came by his knack for politics naturally. His father served as a role model.
“My father didn’t have much education, but he served on the school board,” he said. “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.”
Politics has changed a great deal since when Albertson served, and he’s not sure it’s been for the better. He still thinks people should offer themselves for public service.
“I do think it’s important for people to care about their community — to get involved — to try to make it a better place,” he said. “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 artists who were household names, and earned the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. He said he’s still releasing new music.
Albertson still enjoys performing with longtime friend Clyde Mattocks for the senior dance on the third Tuesday night of the month at Galaxy of Skating 4010 W. Vernon Ave., Kinston.
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