Edward P. Harris, known as Carolina Slim, was born on August 22, 1923, in Leasburg, North Carolina, and was an American Piedmont blues guitarist and singer. He learned to play the guitar from his father and was influenced by Lightnin' Hopkins and Blind Boy Fuller. In 1950, Harris relocated to Newark, New Jersey, and made his recording debut for Savoy Records under the name Carolina Slim with the single "Black Chariot Blues" backed with "Mama's Boogie", released in 1951. He recorded eight tracks for King Records in 1951 and 1952 using the pseudonym Country Paul. Notable songs from this period include "Carolina Boogie" and a cover of Fuller’s "Rag Mama Rag". Carolina Slim died in Newark on October 22, 1953, at the age of 30 from a heart attack during surgery. His work was compiled posthumously in Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order 1950-1952, released by Document Records in 1993.
