Magpie: Working My Life Away

Collector Records 1936

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Field Hand Man (2:51 A2 The L & N Don't Stop Here Anymore (3:47)
A3 I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore (2:10)
A4 Jute Mill Song (3:21)
A5 Bracero (5:11)
A6 Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues (2:43)
B1 Hard Times (3:22)
B2 Spinning Mills Of Home (3:39)
B3 Chemical Worker's Song 2:39)
B4 Mrs. MacDonald's Lament (4:21)
B5 Working Girl Blues (4:10)
[Credits]
Greg Artzner (vocals) Terry Leonino (harmonica/dulcimer/mandolin/vocals) Greg Artzner (guitar) Rolly Brown (guitar) Carolyn Kellock (bass)
Liner Notes: Joe Glazer, Designer:David Whitmore and Dorothy Fall, Engineer: Jim Robeson
[Notes]
Fresh over from Washington, DC the duo Magpie responded to their first British festival with a couple of superb sets, sending tremors down the spine by yodelling in harmony, and warming the soul with an eclecticism that embraced Jimmie Rodgers, Billie Holiday and their own materiaL.. they are simply, absolutely, unequivocally wonderful They 11 thrill you to your boots, melt your heart ... --Colin Irwin

A Tribute To Jimmy Martin - King Of Bluegrass

Koch Records KOC-CD-9819

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2004
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Sonny Osborne Intro (0:10)
02 Sophronie (2:39)
03 You Don't Know My Mind (2:58)
04 Losin' You (3:03)
05 Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me (2:48)
06 She Left Me Again (3:06)
07 Doin' My Time (3:48)
08 I Cried Again (2:28)
09 Homerun Man (2:14)
10 Ocean of Diamonds (2:44)
11 God Guide Our Leaders Hand (3:06)
12 What Would You Give In Exchange (2:44)
13 I'd Like To Hear Them Preach It (3:10)
14 Hold What You Got (2:24)
15 Walkin' Shoes (2:15)
16 Steppin' Stones (2:48)
17 I'm Thinkin' Tonight of My Blues Eyes (3:14)
18 Tennessee (2:41)
[Credits]
Audie Blaylock (guitar/vocals) Paul Williams (mandolin/vocals) Jesse Brock (mandolin) Michael Cleveland (fiddle) J.D. Crowe (banjo/vocals) Kenny Ingram (banjo) Ben Isaacs (bass/vocals) Sonya Isaacs (vocals) Jason Moore (bass) Harry Stinson (snare)
Executive-Producer: Tim Dillman, Producer: Ben Isaacs, Photographer: John Scarpati, Artist: Hank Williams, Jr., Liner Notes: Eddie Stubbs, Engineer: John Eberle and Lee Groitzsch
[Notes]
Although he is less well known than bluegrass pioneers Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the irascible Jimmy Martin has done as much as either to shape the sound of the genre, almost single-handedly developing what can only be termed honky tonk bluegrass. Martin is stubborn and brilliant, a rebel playing a style of music that favors tradition and only reluctantly abides innovation, and his larger than life personality has probably made him as many enemies as friends. But acknowledged or not, Martin's stamp is everywhere in contemporary bluegrass, and his impact on country music as a whole is also not to be underestimated. This tribute to Martin is rather special because it brings together four skilled musicians who all got their start as members of Martin's backup band, the Sunny Mountain Boys. Banjo players J.D. Crowe and Kenny Ingram, along with mandolin players Audie Blaylock and Paul Williams, join forces here to produce a surprisingly consistent and cohesive album. Their immersion in Martin's music is complete, which means they actually sound like a band (with Blaylock handling most of the lead vocals) rather than stars taking turns at the microphone, as is the case with most tribute affairs. Among the highlights here are versions of "Doin' My Time," "Ocean of Diamonds," and a marvelous rendition of A.P. Carter's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes." Also worth mentioning is the version here of Martin's wise and cautionary "God Guide Our Leader's Hand," which is timeless in its call for careful consideration in all things political. -- AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

Slim Critchlow: Cowboy Songs "The Crooked Trail To Holbrook"

Arhoolie Records ARH-479

Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1999
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country
[Tracklist]
A01 The Crooked Trail To Holbrook (2:04)
A02 Borax Bill (2:26)
A03 The Trail To Mexico (3:31)
A04 Forty A Month And Found (1:55)
A05 The Brazos River (2:21)
A06 D-Bar-2 Horse Wrangler (2:10)
A07 Windy Bill (1:56)
A08 Goodbye Old Paint (3:42)
A09 Bucking Bronco (1:47)
A10 I'd Like To Be In Texas (3:26)
B01 The Buffalo Skinners (3:41)
B02 The Cowboy's Lament (4:52)
B03 Wild Buckaroo (2:00)
B04 Snag Tooth Sal (2:55)
B05 The Trusty Lariat (3:14)
B06 John Garner's Trail Herd (3:14)
B07 Whiskey Bill (1:25)
B08 The Last Wagon (1:58)
[Credits]
Slim Critchlow (guitar/vocals)
Producer, Recorder and Photographer: Barry Olivier, Photographer: Dennis Galloway, Designer: Morgan Dodge, Technician: Gerald Adamson
[Notes]
Slim Critchlow began his career in the 1930s as a Park Ranger at Zion National Park in southwest Utah. His interest in cowboy songs was sparked by hearing an old-time group singing on a Salt Lake City radio station in 1930. A self-taught guitarist and singer, Critchlow auditioned with the group and joined them on twice-weekly broadcasts. In 1936, he left Utah for work in California. In 1959, he began appearing in folk music festivals in the San Francisco Bay area. Wearing cowboy regalia, playing an 8-string guitar, and singing authentic cowboy songs, Slim was a natural. This collection of songs was recorded between 1959 and 1963 at several Bay-area festivals.

Dolly Parton: Jolene

RCA Victor APL1-0473

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: Feb 4, 1974
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country
[Tracklist]
A1 Jolene (2:38)
A2 When Someone Wants To Leave (2:04)
A3 River Of Happiness (2:17)
A4 Early Morning Breeze (2:45)
A5 Highlight Of My Life (2:16)
B1 I Will Always Love You (2:53)
B2 Randy (1:53)
B3 Living On Memories Of You (2:42)
B4 Lonely Comin' Down (3:11)
B5 It Must Be You (1:48)
[Credits]
Dolly Parton (guitar/vocals) Jimmy Colvard, Dave Kirby, Bobby Thompson and Chip Young (guitar) Pete Drake and Stu Basore (pedal steel guitar) Jerry Carrigan, Larrie Londin and Kenny Malone (drums) Bobby Dyson (bass) Buck Trent (banjo) Mack Magaha and Johnny Gimble (fiddle) Hargus "Pig" Robbins and David Briggs (piano) Onie Wheeler (harmonica)
Producer: Bob Ferguson, Art Director: Herb Burnette, Photographer: Hope Powell, Engineer: Tom Pickand Roy Shockley
[Notes]
Jolene is the thirteenth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on February 4, 1974, by RCA Victor. The title track, "Jolene", tells the tale of a housewife confronting a beautiful seductress who she believes is having an affair with her husband. It became Parton's second solo number-one country single; it also was a moderate pop hit for her, and also did well in the United Kingdom. Since the introduction of downloads to the Official Chart in 2005, it has amassed 255,300 downloads and 6.68 million streams. It has been covered by numerous performers.

The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead

Shanachie – 6014

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Limited Edition
Country: US
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Folk Rock, Rock & Roll, Blues Rock
[Tracklist]
A1 Rain And Snow: Obray Ramsey (3:25)
A2 Mama Tried: Merlie Haggard (2:10)
A3 Iko Iko: Dixie Cups (2:00)
A4 Samson & Delilah: Reverend Gary Davis (4:03)
A5 Big Railroad Blues: Cannon's Jug Stompers (3:18)
A6 El Paso: Marty Robbins (4:21)
A7 It's All Over Now, Baby Blue: Bob Dylan (4:12)
A8 Spoonful: Charlie Patton (3:11)
B1 The Red Rooster: Howlin' Wolf (3:11)
B2 The Promised Land: Chuck Berry (2:26)
B3 Don't Ease Me In: Henry Thomas (2:59)
B4 Big Boss Man: Jimmy Reed (2:49)
B5 Turn On Your Love Light: Bobby "Blue" Bland (2:36)
B6 Morning Dew: Bonnie Dobson (4:05)
B7 Not Fade Away: Buddy Holly (2:21)
B8 Goin' Down This Road Feelin' Bad: Woody Guthrie (2:48)
B9 I Bid You Good Night: The Pindar Family with Joseph Spence (2:49)
[Credits]
Producer: David Gans and Henry Kaiser, Art Director: Joan Pelosi, Designer: Robert Crumb, Engineer: Paul Stubblebine
[Notes]
An interesting concept: a compilation of the original versions of 17 songs frequently covered by The Grateful Dead in concert. Thoughtfully assembled, it showcases several aspects of their eclectic roots, encompassing jug band folk, country & western, Appalachian mountain music, country blues, '50s Chicago electric blues, R&B, Dylan, Guthrie, Holly, Berry, and more. Some of the recordings are very famous (Dylan's "It's All over Now, Baby Blue," Holly's "Not Fade Away"); others are downright obscure (Obray Ramsey's "Rain and Snow," the rare original version of "Morning Dew" by little-known Canadian folkie Bonnie Dobson). If you're a Dead fan, this is a valuable, very listenable collection of some of their key influences. It may seem churlish to point this out to Deadheads, but if you're not a Dead fan, you'll find this to be a first-rate collection of roots music that's much more enjoyable than hearing The Dead's interpretations of the same tunes. -- AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger

Jean Ritchie: Ballads from her Appalachian Family Tradition

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40145

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Appalachian Music
[Tracklist]
01 Gypsy Laddie (2:47)
02 False Sir John (4:18)
03 Hangman (1:57)
04 Lord Bateman (6:03)
05 The House Carpenter (4:19)
06 Lord Thomas And Fair Ellender (5:27)
07 The Merry Golden Tree (2:08)
08 Old Bangum (1:52)
09 Barbary Allen (5:01)
10 The Unquiet Grave (3:57)
11 Sweet William And Lady Margaret (6:49)
12 There Lived An Old Lord (5:26)
13 Cherry Tree Carol (3:45)
14 Edward (2:32)
15 Lord Randall (2:51)
16 Little Musgrave (12:03)
[Credits]
Jean Ritchie (dulcimer/guitar/vocals)
Liner Notes: Stephanie Smith, Peter Seitel and Kenneth S. Goldstein, Photographer: George Pickow, Designer: Sonya Cohen Cramer, Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
Jean Ritchie is a national treasure, one of America's finest and best known traditional singers. She grew up in Viper, Kentucky, and is part of a large family, the famous "Singing Ritchies of Kentucky." The ballads on this recording are outstanding Appalachian versions of the "Child ballads," English and Scottish narrative songs collected and published by scholar Francis James Child in the late 19th century. The songs tell of true and lost love, jealousy, treachery, grief, death, and the supernatural. This reissue of her landmark Folkways recordings British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains brings her clear, pure voice and timeless songs to new generations of listeners.

Doc Watson

Vanguard VSD-79152

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country Blues, Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Nashville Blues (1:55)
A2 Sitting On Top Of The World (2:35)
A3 Intoxicated Rat (2:38)
A4 Country Blues (3:26)
A5 Talk About Suffering (2:45)
A6 Six Thousand Years Ago (2:57)
A7 Black Mountain Rag (1:29)
B1 Omie Wise (4:23)
B2 Georgie Buck (2:13)
B3 Doc's Guitar (1:14)
B4 Deep River Blues (3:07)
B5 St. James Hospital (3:25)
B6 Tom Dooley (3:13)
[Credits]
Doc Watson (guitar/banjo/harmonica/vocals) John Herald (guitar)
Liner Notes: Ralph Rinzler, Designer: Jules Halfant, Photographer: Kelly Hart
[Notes]
Watson's arrival on the folk scene of the '60s was a major event in American music, due mostly to his appearance at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival and the release of this self-titled album the following year. Not only did it revolutionize folk guitar picking, but it set the standard for the rest of his career with its mix of old-timey numbers, blues, gospel, and adapted fiddle tunes. The album is incredibly varied, from the stark, banjo-driven "Country Blues" to the humorous "Intoxicated Rat," and many of these songs became Watson standards, especially his signature song "Black Mountain Rag." His incredible flat-picking skills may have been what initially wowed his audiences, but it was Watson's complete mastery of the folk idiom that assured his lasting popularity. -- AllMusic Review by Jim Smith

Alison Krauss + Union Station Live

Rounder Records 11661-0515-2

Format: 2 x CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
Disk One
01 Let Me Touch You for Awhile (3:45)
02 Choctaw Hayride (3:25)
03 The Lucky One (3:40)
04 Baby, Now That I've Found You (5:02)
05 Bright Sunny South (3:07)
06 Every Time You Say Goodbye (3:04)
07 Tiny Broken Heart (3:08)
08 Cluck Old Hen (2:47)
09 Stay (3:16)
10 Broadway (3:57)
11 Ghost in This House (4:29)
12 Forget About It (3:18)
13 Faraway Land (3:21)
Disc Two
01 A Tribute to Peador O'Donnell / Monkey Let the Hogs Out (4:58)
02 The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn (5:58)
03 Take Me for Longing (2:47)
04 I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow (4:12)
05 Maybe (4:25)
06 We Hide & Seek (5:41)
07 But You Know I Love You (3:39)
08 When You Say Nothing at All (4:21)
09 New Favorite (4:00)
10 Oh, Atlanta (6:47)
11 Down to the River to Pray (2:10)
12 There Is a Reason (5:13)
[Credits]
Alison Krauss (fiddle/vocals) Jerry Douglas (dobro/vocals) Dan Tyminski (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Ron Block (guitar/banjo/vocals) Barry Bales (bass/vocals) Larry Atamanuik (drums)
[Notes]
Given Alison Krauss' tremendous popularity and her status as the first female bluegrass singer to cross over into genuine pop marketability, and given the fact that her guitarist, Dan Tyminski, is the voice behind "Man of Constant Sorrow" (or at least the version that served as an idée fixe in the blockbuster movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?), a live album was inevitable. That it should be a two-disc set can simply be chalked up to good luck. Unless you're a bluegrass purist, that is, looking for music that preserves the traditional Appalachian sounds of Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe. Listeners of that mindset will be bitterly disappointed by the presence of modern singer/songwriter fare ("Lucky One," "Let Me Touch You for a While"), by the drums on "Oh, Atlanta," and, most of all, by those dreadful call-and-response vocals on the chorus of "Man of Constant Sorrow" (which, you can hear them sniff, Tyminski takes at about twice the appropriate speed). All of this would explain why bluegrass purists are no fun to be around and, one suspects, don't have very much fun in private either. The simple fact is that every time Krauss opens her mouth to sing, angels stop what they're doing and take notes. There may be no musical pleasure quite as pure and sweet as listening to Krauss sing "Baby, Now That I've Found You" or "When You Say Nothing at All." And when she starts in on the impossibly beautiful gospel tune "Down to the River to Pray," the effect is almost disturbingly moving. Which brings listeners to the problem with this album, which is the amount of time it spends on stuff other than Alison Krauss singing great songs. The instrumental bits, the Jerry Douglas showcases, and Tyminski's requisite rendition of "Man of Constant Sorrow" are all fine, but they end up feeling like filler. Still, this album can be solidly recommended to modern bluegrass fans in general and to Krauss' many fans in particular. -- AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson

Tony Rice: Plays And Sings Bluegrass

Rounder Records – CD 0253

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1993
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 I've Waited As Long As I Can (2:58)
02 Brown Mountain Light (3:40)
03 How Mountain Girls Can Love (2:26)
04 Carolina Star (3:09)
05 Thunderclouds Of Love (2:50)
06 On And On (3:04)
07 This Morning At Nine (2:18)
08 I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (3:12)
09 Galveston Flood (3:28)
10 Will You Be Loving Another Man (3:01)
11 Girl From The North Country (4:19)
12 Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone (2:50)
13 I'll Stay Around (3:21)
[Credits]
Tony Rice (guitar/vocals) Bill Emerson (banjo/tenor vocals/baritone vocals) Jimmy Gaudreau (mandolin/baritone vocals) John Duffey (mandolin/tenor vocals) and Larry Rice (tenor vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin/baritone vocals) Mike Auldridge (mandolin/dobro/baritone vocals) Jerry Douglas (dobro) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Mark Schatz (bass) Producers: Bill Wolf and Anthony Rice, Photographer: Tim Talley, Engineer: David Glasser
[Notes]
Tony Rice, one of the most innovative guitarists to emerge from the "third generation" of bluegrass musicians, returns to his roots on TONY RICE PLAYS AND SINGS BLUEGRASS, his first real bluegrass album since 1977. This collection of classics, mostly from the '50s and '60s, is given an exuberant reading by Rice and his band of bluegrass veterans. Rice's lead vocals evoke the "high lonesome" sound of Bill Monroe. His guitar work is stunning in its attack, rhythmic intensity, and choice of notes--his solo on Lester Flatt's "I'll Stay Around" twists and turns, hits a few pungent blue notes, and is gone, all in eight bars, while the guitar break on "Thunderclouds of Love" explodes in a flurry of notes and slurred jazz chords. Dobro star Jerry Douglas adds his unmistakable fluid touch. Bill Emerson, a founding member of the Country Gentlemen, is on hand to play some hellified banjo and to pass the torch. Balancing respect for tradition with modern virtuosity and willingness to take risks, TONY RICE PLAYS AND SINGS BLUEGRASS is about as good as it gets. -- AllMusic Review by AllMusic

Fine Times at Our House: Traditional Music of Indiana: Ballads, Fiddle Tunes, Songs

Folkways Records - FW03809

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklis]
A01 Unnamed Tune: John W. Summers (2:03)
A02 The Elfin Knight - Child 2: Anna Underhill (2:37)
A03 Play Parties: Anna Underhill (0:44)
A04 Turkey in the Straw: Louis Henderson (1:11)
A05 The Cuckoo's Nest: Dan White and John W. Summers (2:02)
A06 Sherman's Retreat: John W. Summers (3:30)
A07 The Morning of 1845: Vern Smelser (2:09)
A08 The Birds' Song: Virgil Sandage (1:05)
A09 Away Out West in Kansas: Anna Underhill (1:46)
A10 The Indiana Hero: Anna Underhill (5:33)
A11 Fine Times at Our House: John W. Summers (3:12)
B01 The Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn: Vern Smelser (1:10)
B02 Rye Straw: John W. Summers (2:12)
B03 Waiting for the Lord to Come: Dan White and John W. Summers (1:36)
B04 Same Time Today as It Was Yesterday: John W. Summers (1:54)
B05 The Battle of Stone River: Oscar Parks (4:15)
B06 Lord Barnett (Child No. 68): Ella Parker (2:35)
B07 Young Charlotte: Vern Smelser (7:06)
B08 The Soldier and the Lady: Shorty and Juanita Sheehan (3:18)
[Credits]
Recorder: Pat Dunford and Art Rosenbaum
[Notes]
Collected by musician and producer Pat Dunford and musicologist Art Rosenbaum, the twenty songs and fiddle tunes on this album were chosen from a vast collection of recordings from their travels around Indiana in the early sixties. At the time, Indiana had been largely ignored by collectors and folk enthusiasts researching old-time music. Dunford and Rosenbaum wanted to present the songs and tunes remembered by Hoosier musicians, including master old-time fiddler John W. Summers, that were most characteristic of the state, fearing they might soon be all but gone.

Mike Seeger: Early Southern Guitar Sounds

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40157

Format: CD
Country: US
Released: 2007
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country
[Tracklist]
01 Wildwood Flower (0:52)
02 Old Chisholm Trail (1:50)
03 Spanish Fandango (2:17)
04 Shakin' The Pines In The Holler (2:00)
05 Weary Lonesome Blues (2:30)
06 White Oak Mountain (3:12)
07 I'm Crazy Over You (2:16)
08 Can't Get A Letter From You (2:44)
09 Guitar Rag (3:05)
10 Smoketown Strut (2:54)
11 Big Kid's Barroom (2:46)
12 Fishing Blues (3:23)
13 After All Has Been Said And Done (2:43)
14 Joe Lee's Tune (1:56)
15 Carrol County Blues (2:31)
16 Birmingham Tickle (2:35)
17 Worried Blues (3:45)
18 Kenny Wagner's Surrender (2:48)
19 Arizona (2:21)
20 Pearly Dew (2:16)
21 Risselty Rosselty (1:44)
22 Johnny Doyle (4:06)
23 Black Jack David (2:57)
24 John Henry (3:34)
25 Buckdancer's Choice (3:19)
26 Riley And Spencer (4:24)
27 When This World Comes To An End (2:22)
28 Leaning On The Everlasting Ar (1:37)
[Credits]
Recorder and Producer: Mike Seeger, Photographer: McGuire, Designer: Sonya Cohen Cramer, Liner Notes Editor: Carla Borden, Mastering Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
The guitar fostered great creativity in the South as it evolved from a small gut-string instrument in polite parlors to the big, loud, steel-string guitar now found in our homes and onstage. Mike sings and plays a variety of the styles that were played in the rural South from about 1850 to 1930 on 25 different types of guitars. Featured are: banjo-like styles, rags, blues, parlor and parlor-based styles, slide guitar styles, and many song accompaniment styles. The booklet includes a fresh look at the history of the guitar and its travel South, notes on songs and styles, and photographs of all the instruments used. 28 tracks, 36-page booklet, 74 minutes.