Man in Vietnam

Annotation

Tammie McCarroll, born 1959, wrote and recorded the Vietnam / P.O.W. song "Man in Vietnam" (Log Cabin Records # LC3873) in 1972, at the age of 11-12, while still in junior high school. She grew up in Lenoir City, Tennessee, and came from a long line of country and bluegrass musicians, in the Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee. Her father Tom McCarroll played the fiddle, guitar, and banjo, recording several records and playing in the local music scene. Her grandfather, Jimmy McCarroll, a famous fiddler, led the traditional country group Roane County Ramblers, which released six singles in the late 1920s on Columbia Records. (1) (2) (3) This song focused on the impact that a US P.O.W. had on the soldier's family back home. The narrator of the song said that she had "been waiting for a man in Vietnam...in a prison". But she soon revealed that her sweetheart's name appeared on television with the "ones that have been freed", and so she expected to see her loved one again soon. Released in Ohio, on Rusty York's country label. Produced by Frank White. The label credited the backing band to "The McCarroll Family", which included Tom McCarroll on rhythm guitar and Polly McCarroll on…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Children on Record

Tammie McCarroll, born 1959, wrote and recorded the Vietnam / P.O.W. song "Man in Vietnam" (Log Cabin Records # LC3873) in 1972, at the age of 11-12, while still in junior high school. She grew up in Lenoir City, Tennessee, and came from a long line of country and bluegrass musicians, in the Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee. Her father Tom McCarroll played the fiddle, guitar, and banjo, recording several records and playing in the local music scene. Her grandfather, Jimmy McCarroll, a famous fiddler, led the traditional country group Roane County Ramblers, which released six singles in the late 1920s on Columbia Records. (1) (2) (3) This song focused on the impact that a US P.O.W. had on the soldier's family back home. The narrator of the song said that she had "been waiting for a man in Vietnam...in a prison". But she soon revealed that her sweetheart's name appeared on television with the "ones that have been freed", and so she expected to see her loved one again soon. Released in Ohio, on Rusty York's country label. Produced by Frank White. The label credited the backing band to "The McCarroll Family", which included Tom McCarroll on rhythm guitar and Polly McCarroll on…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

Unknown - the release is "Man In Vietnam" b/w "Crazy Indian" (Log Cabin Records LC3873), billed "Tammie McCarroll And The McCarroll Family": Tammie McCarroll (vocals, writer, rhythm guitar), Tom McCarroll (rhythm guitar, fiddle), Larry and Polly McCarroll (bass), with sidemen Larry and Glenn Presley; produced by Frank White, lacquer cut at Masterfonics. No birth or death information for Tammie McCarroll was found. [Source: Discogs]

Themes

Patriotic · P.O.W. · Child

In collections

US Domestic Perspective Songs · Children on Record · P.O.W. / M.I.A. Songs