The English Concertina

Compiled and Annotated by Richard Carlin

Folkways Records - FW 8845

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, World
[Tracklist]
A1 The Flight of the Bumblebees / Forgotten Dreams: The Fayre Four Sisters (3:38)
A2 Cavalleria Rusticana: Wilfred Pearce and Reuben Shaw (3:17)
A3 The History of the Crabb Concertina Firm: Harry Crabb (3:22)
A4 Czardas: Gregory Matusewitch (3:19)
A5 Santa Anna's Retreat / Greasy Coat: Richard Carlin (2:20)
A6 Russian Fantasy: The Fayre Four Sisters (3:06)
B1 Grieg's Morning: The Fayre Four Sisters (4:07)
B2 Chrysanthemum: The Boris Matusewitch Quartet (3:38)
B3 Waltz Impromptu: Alfred Edwards (3:03)
B4 Haste to the Wedding / Smash the Windows: Harry Minting and Richard Carlin (2:25)
B5 Speak Easy: The Fayre Four Sisters (2:35)
B6 Raggin' the Scales: The Fayre Four Sisters (2:22)
[Credits]
Liner Notes: Richard Carlin, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Invented in 1835, the concertina (a small accordion) has long been associated with a wide variety of music ranging from classical to popular and folk. Richard Carlin, music scholar and concertina virtuoso, has compiled this recording reflecting not only the types of music played on the instrument but national groups' and individual performers’ styles across time. This collection of recordings spans the period from the 1920s to the 1970s. The liner notes, written by Carlin, present the history of the concertina and information about the music and performers. Carlin recorded two other albums for Folkways ("In Came a Bumblebee" – FW08846, and "The Poppy Seed" – FW 08847) and is the author of the book Worlds of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways.

Folksongs and Ballads of Kansas Sung by Joan O'Bryant

Folkways Records - FA 2134

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1957
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Girls, Quit Your Rowdy Ways (1:21)
A2 The Butcher Boy (3:11)
A3 Common Bill (1:35)
A4 The Zebra Dun (2:32)
A5 Sweet William Died (1:07)
A6 Lord Bateman (4:40)
B1 Kansas Boys (1:28)
B2 Old Limpy (2:34)
B3 In Kansas (1:38)
B4 Molly Bann (2:23)
B5 Quantrill (2:12)
B6 Old Blue (4:36)
[Credits]
Joan O'Bryant (guitar/vocals)
Producer and Liner Notes: Kenneth S. Goldstein, Recorder: Lewis Gordon
[Notes]
Collected and performed by Kansas native Joan O'Bryant, this compilation of Kansas music harks back to its settlers' origins in New England, but especially in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Ozarks. In addition to old songs from England and Ireland, this album includes material unique to Kansas.

American Ballads And Folksongs

Sung by Joan O'Bryant   Edited by Kenneth S. Goldstein

Folkways Records - SA 2338

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1958
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Single Girl (2:35)
A2 The Stern Old Bachelor (1:19)
A3 Life is a Toil (3:58)
A4 The Promised Land (2:24)
A5 The House Carpenter's Wife (4:30)
A6 The Trail to Mexico (3:34)
A7 The Lily of the West (3:19)
A8 The Cuckoo (3:02)
B1 I'm on My Way (2:27)
B2 A Sailor's Life (4:13)
B3 Keep Your Hand on the Plow (3:35)
B4 The Maiden on the Plains (2:57)
B5 The Soldier's Wife (2:45)
B6 Marble Town (2:25)
B7 The Texas Rangers (2:46)
B8 Tom Sherman's Barroom (3:30)
[Credits]
Joan O'Bryant (guitar/vocals)
Producer and Liner Notes: Kenneth S. Goldstein, Recorder: Mike Russell, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Like Joan O'Bryant's previous Folkways recording, Folksongs and Ballads of Kansas, this album presents folk songs geographically close to O'Bryant's heart. Most of the ballads included here are versions from Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri, and several were collected through the University of Arkansas Folklore Research Project.

The Weavers at Carnegie Hall

Vanguard Records VRS-9010

Series: Theatre Showcase
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1957
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A01 Darling Corey (1:58)
A02 Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (3:14)
A03 Pay Me My Money Down (2:36)
A04 Greensleeves (2:39)
A05 Rock Island Line (2:19)
A06 Around The World (2:37)
A07 Wimoweh (1:46)
A08 Venga Jaleo (2:09)
A09 Suliram (2:05)
A10 Sholom Chavaim (2:02)
B01 Lonesome Traveller (1:59)
B02 I Know Where I'm Going (1:51)
B03 Woody's Rag And 900 Miles (1:34)
B04 Sixteen Tons (2:03)
B05 Follow The Drinking Gourd (2:09)
B06 When The Saints Go Marchin In (2:15)
B07 I've Got A Home In That Rock (1:48)
B08 Hush Little Baby (1:03)
B09 Go Where I Send Thee (2:35)
B10 Goodnight Irene (4:02)
[Credits]
The Weavers: Fred Hellerman, Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, and Ronnie Gilbert (vocals)
Producer: Harold Leventhal and Pete Kameron, Liner Notes: Carl Sandburg, Cover Artwork: Jules Halfant, Photographer: Lawrence Photo
[Notes]
Despite having scored a series of major hits in the early '50s, starting with "Goodnight Irene," which topped the charts for 13 weeks, the Weavers were hounded out of existence in 1953 as part of the anti-Communist witch hunts. Although Senator Joseph McCarthy, whose scurrilous activities gave the McCarthy Era its name, had been condemned by the Senate in December 1954, the Red Scare was still far from over in 1955 -- indeed, Weavers group members Pete Seeger and Lee Hays were both subpoenaed to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in August of that year. (Seeger refused to answer questions, leading to a contempt citation, while Hays took the Fifth Amendment.) But on Christmas Eve, the Weavers played a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall, initiating the second phase of their career and, in the eyes of most observers, inspiring the folk revival that led to the popularity of such performers as the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Bob Dylan. The Weavers began to perform around the country again, and they signed to Vanguard Records, which, in April 1957, released this live recording. It's easy to hear what all the fuss was about, and not just because of the thunderous applause. Many of the Weavers' recordings for the major label Decca Records between 1950 and 1953 found them accompanied by an orchestra, while here the only instrumentation was Seeger's banjo (he also played recorder here and there) and baritone Fred Hellerman's acoustic guitar. And the group proved to be an exciting -- and often humorous -- live act. Their program here is divided into four parts. "Folk Songs, Comic and Sentimental" begins the show, including their hit "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" (revived for a Top Five hit later in 1957 by Jimmie Rodgers) and "Rock Island Line," the Leadbelly song they had first recorded just before their breakup in 1953 that became a Top Ten hit for Lonnie Donegan in 1956. The "Around the World" section finds them singing in several languages and includes their hit "Wimoweh," adapted by the Tokens into the number one chart-topper "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in 1961. "The Weavers 'Personalities'" gives lead-singing opportunities to each of the four group members, with powerful alto Ronnie Gilbert shining on the British folk ballad "I Know Where I'm Going" and Hellerman emphasizing the group's ties to popular music by performing "Sixteen Tons," the number one song in the country on the day the concert was held. The show closes with "Three Hymns, a Lullaby and Goodnight," revealing the group's roots in gospel music and, inevitably, ending with "Goodnight Irene." It's easy to hear both the sources of the folk revival in the music of Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, African-American spirituals, and international folk songs, and the future of folk-pop music as it would be enacted by the Weavers' successors in this show, which is what makes The Weavers at Carnegie Hall a key recording in the history of American folk music, as well as a singularly enjoyable live performance by a remarkably talented quartet.-- AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann

Hopi Katcina Songs and Six Songs by Hopi Chanters

Historical documentary recorded under the supervision of Dr. Jesse Walter Fewkes in Arizona

Folkways Records – FE 4394

Series: Ethnic Folkways Library
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Field Recording, Religious
[Tracklist]
A01 Bean Harvest, Powamu Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (1:52)
A02 Buffalo Dance, Mucaiasti Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (1:37)
A03 Beard Dance, Anga Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (2:14)
A04 Mudhead, or Clown, Tachauktu Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (0:59)
A05 Second Mudhead Song, Tuwina'ay Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (1:07)
A06 Rain Dance, Soyohim Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (2:14)
A07 Rabbit Hunt, Makwatu Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (3:03)
A08 Duck, Pawik Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (1:34)
A09 Rain Song from Zuni, Malo Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (2:08)
A10 Rain Song from Navaho, Tacab Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (1:33)
A11 Rain Song from Jemez, Humis Katcina: Honyi, Kutka, and Honauuh (1:41)
B01 Mudhead Katcina Song: Porter Timeche (2:22)
B02 Butterfly Dance Song: Porter Timeche (3:21)
B03 Hoop Dance Song: Porter Timeche (2:50)
B04 Buffalo Dance Song: Porter Timeche (2:20)
B05 Eagle Dance: Porter Timeche (2:27)
B06 Snake Dance: Porter Timeche (2:01)
[Credits]
Producer: Charles Hofmann, Recorder: Jesse Walter Fewkes, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
In traditional Hopi religious celebrations, adults dressed as deified ancestors―the Katcina―and handed out small painted Katcina figurines to children. This album contains songs associated with the Katcina as well as other Hopi dances described in the liner notes. The singers include Honyi, the leader of the Antelope Priesthood; Kutka, the chief of the Walpi tribe; Honauuh, the head priest of the snake ceremony; and Kakapti, a Hopi priest. The recordings were collected by Jesse Walter Fewkes (1850–1930), a Harvard-educated anthropologist who was the head of the Bureau of American Ethnology and Archaeology (1918–1928).

Ed Trickett "People Like You"

Folk-Legacy Records FSI-92

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Cold Winter is Coming (3:30)
A2 Sweet Freedom (3:06)
A3 Old Wing (3:18)
A4 Dry Cardrona (4:48)
A5 Rock the Cradle, Joe (2:32)
A6 People Like You (2:19)
B1 River of the Big Canoe (3:35)
B2 Cotton Mill Blues (2:42)
B3 The Lover's Return (3:51)
B4 Kitty and I (2:59)
B5 Clayton Boone (3:52)
B6 Ashes on the Sea (5:44)
[Credits]
Ed Trickett (dulcimer/guitar/vocals) Cathy Barton (dulcimer/banjo/guitar/vocals) Bob Coltman (guitar/fiddle/mandolin/vocals) Dave Para (guitar/vocals)
Liner Notes: Ed Trickett, Recorder: Sandy Paton, Digital Transfer: Dave Paton
[Notes]
Trickett's third solo release for the Folk-Legacy label, People Like You presents a mix of traditional and new songs, including the songwriting of Si Kahn and Utah Philips. Trickett leads the record, playing guitar and hammer dulcimer, and is joined with additional fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar and dulcimer from frequent Folk-Legacy contributors Dava Para, Cathy Barton, and Bob Coltman.

Love Songs for Friends and Foes sung by Pete Seeger

Folkways Records – FA 2453

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A01 Open the Door (0:34)
A02 I'll Sing You a Love Song (3:47)
A03 The Trip We Took Over the Mountain (1:29)
A04 She Moves Through the Fair (3:01)
A05 Sally My Dear (3:37)
A06 No Sir No (1:24)
A07 Stranger's Blues (2:47)
A08 Streets of Glory (2:07)
A09 Study War No More (3:16)
A10 Passing Through (3:08)
B01 Over the Hills (2:50)
B02 Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (2:46)
B03 Chalil Melody (0:58)
B04 Little Girl, See Through My Window (2:49)
B05 Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream (2:32)
B06 Listen, Mr. Bilbo (2:08)
B07 Autherine (2:00)
B08 If I Had a Hammer (1:55)
B09 River of My People (3:07)
B10 Black and White (3:10)
B11 The Happy Whistler (1:16)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo/vocals)
Cover Artwork: Ben Shahn, Recorder: Moses Asch, Engineer: David Hancock
[Notes]
Inspired by a famous poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, the title of this album organizes its material into songs that celebrate love between individuals as well as songs that express a love for humankind but hatred for intolerance and war.

Zhitkov's How I Hunted the Little Fellows by Boris Zhitkov

Read by Pete Seeger With Children's Folk Songs sung by Pete Seeger in concert

Folkways Records - FC 7527

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Children's
[Tracklist]
A1 How I Hunted The Little Fellows (13:38)
B1 Once There Was a Man / Little Bird Fly thru the Window / Strawberry Roan (8:19)
B2 Billy Barlow / I Know an Old Lady (6:40)
B3 When the Saints Go Marching In / Most Parents are People Too (2:44)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo/vocals)
Cover Artwork: Paul O. Zelinsky
[Notes]
Pete Seeger (1919–2014) had a long and productive career as both a folksinger and social activist; he was a giant of our time. And overall, he appears on an astonishing total of 123 Smithsonian Folkways recordings. The first track of this recording is devoted to Pete's reading of a short story by Russian writer Boris Zhitkov (1882–1938). In the story a little boy ultimately yields to the temptation to do something he knows is likely to get him into trouble—he becomes convinced that a model boat he has been warned by his grandmother not to touch contains a tiny crew attempting to keep out of sight, and he is determined to spot them. The remaining three tracks of the recording are from a children's concert recorded in Town Hall, New York. The children frequently join with Seeger in singing a variety of well-known and not-so-well-known songs appropriate for children.

Minstrel Banjo Style

Rounder Records - CD 321

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: October 25, 1994
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Old Time
[Tracklist]
01 Whoop Jamboree: Joe Ayers (02:54)
02 Essence of Old Virginny: Joe Ayers (02:00)
03 Sylphides Mazurka: Joe Ayers (01:40)
04 Peeping Through de Cellar Door: Joe Ayers (03:25)
05 Medley: Bully for All / St. Patrick's Day: Joe Ayers (02:35)
06 Whoop Jamboree Reprise: Joe Ayers (01:45)
07 Medley: Hobson's Jig / Briggs' Corn Shucking Jig: Clarke Buehling (02:20)
08 White Cat, Black Cat: Clarke Buehling (01:34)
09 Green Corn / Oh, What's de Matter, Suse Ann?: Clarke Buehling (02:00)
10 Anthony Street Reel: Clarke Buehling (01:08)
11 Clare de Kitchen: Clarke Buehling (02:25)
12 Whelpley's Jig / Buckley's Jig: Bobby Winans (04:32)
13 Johnny Boker / Matt Peel's Walk Around: Bobby Winans (03:25)
14 Phil Issac's Jig / Raccoon Jig: Bobby Winans (03:00)
15 Briggs' Jig / Brigg's Reel: Bobby Winans (02:30)
16 Harper's Jig / Kentucky Juba: Bob Flesher (02:30)
17 Jim Along Josie: Bob Flesher (02:15)
18 Rumsey's Jig / Modoc Reel: Bob Flesher (02:35)
19 Oh, I'se So Wicked: Bob Flesher (02:40)
20 Alabama Joe / Alabama Walk Around: Bob Flesher (01:45)
21 Phil Rice's Excelsior Jig / John Diamond Walk Around: Bob Carlin (02:44)
22 Richmond Am a Hard Road to Travel Bob Carlin (03:47)
23 Devil's Dream / Darkey Money Musk / Mrs. McLeod's Reel: Bob Carlin (03:02)
24 Slave Narrative / Juba: Tony Trischka (01:49)
25 Operatic Jig / Roast Beef: Tony Trischka (01:34)
26 Yankee Doodle: Tony Trischka (01:40)
27 New York March: Tony Trischka (00:47)
28 Git up in de Mornin' / Sebastopol Breakdown: Tony Trischka (01:26)
[Notes]
This intriguing album, which features contemporary banjo players Joe Ayers, Clarke Buehling, Bobby Winans, Bob Flesher, Bob Carlin, and Tony Trischka employing drop-thumb frailing techniques on gourd and hoop banjos in replication of the ante bellum minstrel style, somehow seems to fall short of what it might have been. Some of these performances are surprisingly lifeless and perhaps a bit too studied to really catch fire. Then there's the content problem of the minstrel canon itself, which was built on whites in blackface trying to mimic black life and attitudes, and in that context, songs like "Oh, I'se So Wicked," as performed here by Bob Flesher, are layered with subliminal cultural baggage and cruel ironies that are difficult to set aside even all these years later. Still, the minstrel era marks a period in the south when African approaches to rhythm and arrangement collided and eventually merged with European ones, and in what might be the largest irony, black musicians appropriated many of the minstrel tunes, which were in themselves parodies of black culture, into their own milieu, giving these songs another layer of the onion. All of this is more weight than this set is really intended to bear. The tunes are pleasant enough sounding on the surface, the banjo tones are round and gentle, and if one can set aside the ugly racial problems in America that really drove the minstrel phenomenon, then this set is a partial step toward cultural realignment.- AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

Making History With Pioneers of Bluegrass

Hosted by James Reams

Format: DVD, Music Video
Country: US
Runtime: One hour and 24 minutes
Released: July 22, 2013
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Notes]
Wouldn’t it be fun to sit down with a few first or second generation bluegrass artists, and listen to their stories of the old days? I’ve been fortunate to have a few opportunities to do so, and I never miss a chance. For many of us, especially young fans and students of the music, these legends can seem less like real people, and more like characters from an historical drama. But they lived the bluegrass life, long before there were air-conditioned tour buses to go from show to show. And well before there were skilled sound techs and audio systems, and recording meant direct to disc with no overdubs. - Review by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today (Read more...)

Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40192

Series: Smithsonian Folkways Classic Series
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2006
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
01 An excerpt from "Rail Dynamics": n/a (0:24)
02 Train 45: The New Lost City Ramblers (2:18)
03 Kassie Jones: Furry Lewis (2:56)
04 Jay Gould's Daughter: Pete Seeger (2:38)
05 Railroad Bill: Walt Robertson (2:08)
06 Linin' Track: Lead Belly (1:15)
07 Freight Train: Elizabeth Cotten (2:43)
08 Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill: Cisco Houston (2:30)
09 Zack, the Mormon Engineer: L. M. Hilton (2:02)
10 Lost Train Blues: Virginia Mountain Boys (2:57)
11 The FFV: Annie Watson (3:52)
12 He's Coming to Us Dead: The New Lost City Ramblers (3:15)
13 The Train That Carried My Girl from Town: Doc Watson (2:18)
14 Rock Island Line: Lead Belly (2:03)
15 Lonesome Train: Doc Watson, Woody Guthrie, and Cisco Houston (3:31)
16 John Henry: Sonny Terry, Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston (2:42)
17 The Wreck of the Number Nine: Rosalie Sorrels (1:36)
18 Freight Train Blues: Brownie McGhee (3:36)
19 The New Market Wreck: Mike Seeger (3:39)
20 Jerry, Go Oil That Car: Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock (2:37)
21 Way Out in Idaho: Rosalie Sorrels (3:34)
22 Old John Henry Died on the Mountain: Henry Grady Terrell (1:55)
23 Casey Jones: John D. Mounce (0:20)
24 Wreck of the Old 97: Ernest V. Stoneman (2:51)
25 Midnight Special: Lead Belly (2:03)
26 Wabash Cannonball: Doc Watson (3:17)
27 Lost Train Blues: Vernon Sutphin (1:13)
28 New River Train: Iron Mountain String Band (4:26)
29 Excerpt from "Three Little Engines and 33 Cars": n/a (0:25)
[Credits]
Compiler and Liner Notes: Jeff Place, Photographer: Jack Delano, Designer: Communication Visual, Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
As 19th-century America expanded, so too did the "ribbons of iron" that crisscrossed the vast landscape and sparked the imagination of music-makers. Work songs, ballads recounting riveting exploits, and instrumental echoes of the once familiar sounds of the steam locomotive have enshrined the railroad in our musical memory. Classic Railroad Songs mines the Smithsonian Folkways archives to create this tribute to a favorite American source of inspiration. 36-page booklet. 71 minutes.

Bill Monroe: Bluegrass Breakdown & Other Favorites

Essential Media Mod

Format: CD, Album, Compilation, Remastered Country: US
Released: January 19, 2010
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Orange Blossom Special (2:55)
02 Uncle Penn (2:20)
03 Footprints In The Snow (1:47)
04 Bluegrass Breakdown (2:35)
05 I Saw The Light (2:10)
06 Shady Grove (2:09)
07 Shenandoah Breakdown (2:17)
08 Muleskinner Blues (Blues Yodel No. 8) (2:30)
09 The Prisoner's Song (2:05)
10 Blue Moon Of Kentucky (2:14)
11 Can't You Hear Me Callin' (2:43)
12 Nine Pound Hammer Is Too Heavy (2:40)
[Credits]
Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys (Primary Artist)
[Notes]
A rare live set from the father of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe, featuring his Bluegrass Boys. All selections newly remastered. This is a great, reasonably priced cross section of some of Monroe's finest recordings spanning his storied career. If you're looking for a great smaller compilation or an album to introduce someone to Monroe, this is the perfect jumping off point.

Norman Blake: Wood, Wire & Words

Plectrafone Records 824761-144762

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: January 20, 2015
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Old Time
[Tracklist]
01 Savannah Rag (3:31)
02 The Incident At Condra's Switch (3:48)
03 The Keeper Of The Government Light On The River (5:00)
04 The New Dawning Day (3:24)
05 There's A One Way Road To Glory (4:08)
06 Farewell Francisco Madero (4:54)
07 Blake's Rag (3:41)
08 Joseph Thompson Hare On The Old Natchez Trace (4:06)
09 Grady Forester's Store And Cotton Gin (5:00)
10 Chattanooga Rag (2:42)
11 Black Bart (4:23)
12 Cloverdale Plantation March (4:30)
[Credits]
Norman Blake (guitar/vocals) Nancy Blake (guitar/vocals)
Producer: Scott O'Malley, Photographer: Gary Hamilton, Designer: Kathleen Fox Collins, Sylvia Hutson and Dave Olsen, Engineer: David Hammonds
[Notes]
Nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Traditional Folk Album, Wood, Wire & Words was old-time country legend Norman Blake's first album of entirely original compositions in more than three decades. On this release, Blake masterfully presents twelve selections composed of two rags, one march, and eight songs. Serving primarily as the album's sole performer, Blake is direct and enthralling, while his original works seamlessly bring a centuries-old songwriting style into the present day. Wood, Wire & Words was originally released by Plectrafone in 2015.

Masters of the Banjo

A National Tour of Traditional Banjo Styles

Arhoolie Records – CD 421

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1994
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 The Eldest Of All (The Nile): Seleshe Damessae (3:37)
02 A Family Quarrel On Sunday: Seleshe Damessae (3:19)
03 If You Come, Come (If You Go, Go): Seleshe Damessae (2:13)
04 John Brown's Dream: Kirk Sutphin (1:40)
05 Let Me Fall: Kirk Sutphin (2:26)
06 Yellow Rose Of Texas: Kirk Sutphin (1:58)
07 Oh My Little Darling: Kirk Sutphin (2:42)
08 The Wild Fox: Tony Ellis (1:55)
09 Wind Chimes And Nursery Rhymes: Tony Ellis (2:32)
10 Cherry Blossom Waltz: Tony Ellis (2:44)
11 Hand In Hand: Tony Ellis (4:14)
12 Bird In The Tree: Seamus Egan (2:32)
13 Charleston / Mason's Apron: Seamus Egan (6:08)
14 Lark In The Morning Medley: Seamus Egan (5:48)
15 The Lover's Return: Laurie Lewis and Dudley Connell (4:30)
16 The Johnson Boys: Carroll Best (1:59)
17 Mcmitchen's Reel: Carroll Best (2:07)
18 Say Old Man, Can You Play The Fiddle?: Carroll Best (1:35)
19 Mississippi Sawyer: Will Keys (2:22)
20 Sweet Fern: Will Keys (3:30)
21 On My Mind: Will Keys (3:05)
22 Evergreen: Will Keys (2:43)
23 Nobody's Love Is Like Mine: Ralph Stanley (2:11)
24 I Just Think I'll Go Away: Ralph Stanley (2:53)
25 Children, Go Where I Send Thee: Ralph Stanley (2:35)
26 Frailing Medley: Ralph Stanley (4:23)
[Credits]
Producer: Joe Wilson and Andy Wallace, Editor: Dave Glasser, Photographer: Jesse Winch, Recorder: Steve Fisher
[Notes]
Recorded in 1993 during a national tour, this collection features seven masters of the banjo. Although the banjo is thought to have evolved from the African banza, the banjo has developed into a uniquely American musical instrument. On this recording the players range from Ethiopian Seleshe Damessae playing a six-string krar to the legendary Appalachian banjo player and singer Ralph Stanley. Using a variety of traditional playing methods—clawhammer, and the two- and three-finger picking style—each player performs several selections.

Dock Boggs Volume 3

Recorded and Edited by Mike Seeger

Folkways Records – AH 3903

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1970
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Tracklist]
A01 Davenport (1:45)
A02 Dying Ranger (3:28)
A03 Little Omie Wise (3:26)
A04 Sugar Blues (1:26)
A05 Loving Nancy (2:30)
A06 Cuba (1:29)
A07 John Hardy (2:05)
A08 Peggy Walker (2:56)
A09 I Hope I Live a Few More Days (4:10)
A10 Turkey in the Straw (0:51)
B01 Calvary (3:34)
B02 Roses While I'm Living (3:25)
B03 Leave It There (3:23)
B04 Prayer of a Miner's Child (3:21)
B05 Coke Oven March (1:05)
B06 Ruben's Train (2:23)
B07 Cumberland Gap (2:30)
B08 Careless Love (4:11)
[Credits]
Dock Boggs (banjo/vocals) Mike Seeger (guitar)
Producer and Editor: Mike Seeger, Photographer: Fred Baldwin, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Moran "Dock" Boggs, miner and musician, was first recognized for his "unorthodox" playing style. His popularity only grew after he was featured on the Anthology of American Folk Music (SFW40090) in 1952 and made Boggs one of the most influential musicians in America. This third installment of Boggs' music on Folkways includes the classics "Turkey in the Straw" and the haunting "Prayer of a Miner's Child." Extensive liner notes accompany this album and include facsimiles of some of Boggs' original handwritten lyrics.

Dock Boggs Volume 2

Recorded and Edited by Mike Seeger

Folkways Records – FA 2392

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1965
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Tracklist]
A1 Mixed Blues (3:55)
A2 Old Joe's Barroom (2:49)
A3 Danville Girl (2:39)
A4 Cole Younger (1:52)
A5 Schottische Time (1:16)
A6 Papa, Papa, Build Me a Boat (2:44)
A7 Little Black Train (2:55)
A8 No Disappointment in Heaven (2:35)
A9 Glory Land (4:03)
B1 Banjo Clog (1:50)
B2 Wise County Jail (1:52)
B3 Sugar Baby (2:57)
B4 The Death of Jerry Damron (4:17)
B5 Railroad Tramp (3:15)
B6 Poor Boy in Jail (2:59)
B7 Brother Jim Got Shot (2:02)
B8 John Henry (3:34)
[Credits]
Dock Boggs (banjo/vocals) Mike Seeger (guitar)
Producer and Recorder: Mike Seeger, Liner Notes: Jon Pankake, Designer: A. Doyle Moore
[Notes]
Known for his passion for music, Dock Boggs "not only lived through Cumberland's long night but...prevailed over it. He has mastered it and infused its raw spirit and tragic temperament into his old songs," writes Jon Pankake in the liner notes. This album was recorded in 1964 at Boggs' sister's house, and Mike Seeger provides guitar accompaniment.

The Vern Williams Band: Traditional Bluegrass

Arhoolie Records – CD 514

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2004
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Roll On Buddy (2:42)
02 Close By (3:38)
03 Montana Cowboy (2:59)
04 I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home (2:54)
05 Happy I'll Be (3:13)
06 Live And Let Live (3:05)
07 Bald Knob, Arkansas (2:39)
08 When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall (3:53)
09 I Hear a Choo Choo Coming (1:57)
10 Can't You Hear Me Calling (3:23)
11 Traveling the Highway Home (2:01)
12 Love Me Darling Just Tonight (2:40)
13 In Despair (2:16)
14 I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky (2:59)
15 Darling Nellie Across the Sea (2:36)
16 Pig In a Pen (1:54)
[Credits]
Vern Williams (mandolin/vocals) Del Williams (guitar/vocals) Keith Little (banjo/vocals) Ed Neff (bass)
Producer: Tom Diamant, Photographer: Chris Strachwitz, Ray Edlund, Judy Personius and Gil Lankford, Designer: Morgan Dodge
[Notes]
Mandolin player and singer Vern Williams (1930–2006) grew up listening to and playing traditional country and square dance music in rural Arkansas. Following military service in the early 1950s, he settled in Stockton, California. In 1960, he joined with fiddler Ray Park to create one of the most successful bluegrass bands in the San Francisco Bay area. He subsequently formed his own band, in the 1970s. This recording features traditional bluegrass music by the band in four separate sessions during the 1980s. Williams and his band can also be heard on two albums with Rose Maddox (This Is Rose Maddox, ARH09062, and A Beautiful Bouquet, ARH09058).

Bluegrass from the Blue Ridge Country Band Music of Virginia

Folkways Records – FS 3832

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1967
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A01 Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss: Wade Ward and Glen Smith (3:42)
A02 Walkin' in the Parlor: Wade Ward and Glen Smith (1:27)
A03 Jenny Put the Kettle On: William Marshall and Glen Smith (3:01)
A04 Soldier's Joy: Wade Ward and Glen Smith (1:53)
A05 Sally Goodin': Wade Ward and Glen Smith (1:16)
A06 John Lover Is Gone: Wade Ward and Glen Smith (2:29)
A07 Cindy: William Marshall and Glen Smith (3:23)
A08 Sally Ann: Wade Ward and Glen Smith (2:05)
A09 Don't Let Your Deal Go Down: Wade and Fields Ward and Glen Smith (3:00)
A10 Ragtime Annie: Wade Ward and Glen Smith (2:26)
B01 Paddy on the Turnpike: Uncle Charlie Higgins, Cliff Caraco, and Kelly Lundy (2:28)
B02 Skip to My Lou: Spud Gravely and Glen Smith (2:15)
B03 John Hardy: Wade and Fields Ward and Glen Smith (3:05)
B04 Cotton Eyed Joe: Spud Gravely and Glen Smith (1:48)
B05 Train on the Island: Wade and Fields Ward and Glen Smith (2:13)
B06 Eighth Day of January: Bruce Mastin, Kyle Cole, and Dale Poe (1:56)
B07 Jesse James: Wade and Fields Ward and Glen Smith (3:10)
B08 Walkin' in My Sleep: The Bluegrass Buddies (2:37)
B09 Banks of the Ohio: Glen Neaves, Jessie Neaves, and Ted Lundy (2:27)
B10 Old Joe Clark: The Bluegrass Buddies (2:50)
[Credits]
Producer and Recorder: Eric H. Davidson and Paul Newman, Recorder: Caleb Ellicott Finch, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Collected in the mountain country of southwestern Virginia by Eric H. Davidson, Paul Newman, and Caleb E. Finch, this recording focuses specifically on the string band music of Grayson and Carroll counties and was intended to give recognition to the intricate instrumental band music which attained high levels of development in the region. Thus, examples of the oldest indigenous band style—as heard on "Western Country"—can be found alongside tracks recorded in later styles such as Irish band music. The liner notes help clarify the relationships between the different string band styles, and chart the course of musical development through half a century of cultural change.

Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton

Sugar Hill Records – SUG CD 3980A

Format: CD, Advance, Album, Promo
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 9 to 5: Alison Krauss (03:03)
02 I Will Always Love You: Melissa Etheridge (03:19)
03 The Grass is Blue: Norah Jones (03:48)
04 Do I Ever Cross Your Mind: Joan Osborne (04:00)
05 The Seeker: Shelby Lynne (04:23)
06 Jolene: Mindy Smith (04:15)
07 To Daddy: Emmylou Harris (02:44)
08 Coat of Many Colors: Alison Krauss / Alison Krauss & Union Station (03:15)
09 Little Sparrow: Kasey Chambers (04:02)
10 Dagger Through the Heart: Sinéad O'Connor (04:25)
11 Light of a Clear Blue Morning: Allison Moorer (05:34)
12 Two Doors Down: Meshell Ndegeocello (02:56)
13 Just Because I'm a Woman: Dolly Parton (05:35)
[Credits]
Producer: Dolly Parton, Brian Ahern, Steve Buckingham, Rick DePofi, R.S. Field, Meshell Ndegeocello and Melinda Smith, Engineer: Graham Bolger, John Leventhal, Neal Cappellino, Keith Cenname, Donivan Cowart, Bradley Hartman, Greg Hayes, Russ Long, Jeff McCormac, Jay Newland, Gary Paczosa, Chris Reynolds, Bruce Robb and Sasha Victory
[Notes]
While most of the world knows Dolly Parton as a glitzy bundle of multimedia entertainment who is a near-unavoidable presence on television, movies, and CD racks, displaying her big smile, big hair, and big -- well, you know -- what sadly few people acknowledge is that Parton, when she puts her mind to it, is one of the best singer/songwriters in country music. The fact that artists as diverse as Whitney Houston, Emmylou Harris, and the White Stripes have all discovered remarkable things in Parton's songs says a lot about the beauty, honesty, and grace of her best work, and Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton features 12 noted female artists offering their own interpretations of Parton's compositions. If there's anyone in Nashville whose work merits such treatment, it's Parton, and thankfully practically everyone on Just Because I'm a Woman delivers the goods; "9 to 5" may not be remembered as one of Parton's more stellar tunes, but Alison Krauss discovers a bittersweet working-class anthem lurking beneath its cheery surface, while Melissa Etheridge keeps her sub-Joplin vocal histrionics in check for a fine version of "I Will Always Love You," Me'Shell NdegéOcello transforms "Two Doors Down" into a potent and sensual slice of late-night funk, and Nash Vegas interloper Shania Twain surprisingly hits just the right emotional spot on "Coat of Many Colors." Elsewhere, Norah Jones, Kasey Chambers, Allison Moorer, Sinéad O'Connor, and Mindy Smith all offer powerful and idiosyncratic performances that add their own personalities to Parton's songs without losing sight of the plain-spoken eloquence that makes them so effective. About the only true disappointment here is Emmylou Harris' take on "To Daddy," which is brilliant but was recycled from her 1978 album, Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town; one wonders why Harris didn't opt to cut a new track for this album, but the presence of Dolly herself, offering a new version of "Just Because I'm a Woman," certainly compensates. In the movie Norma Rae, there's a great scene where Norma's boyfriend treats her to a night out at the roadhouse, and she beams when a Dolly Parton single comes up on the jukebox, saying she loves her songs "because the words are so true." As glorious as Parton's crystal-clear soprano may be, it's the stories she's used her voice to tell that truly set her apart, and Just Because I'm a Woman offers a worthy tribute to the woman Joan Osborne describes as "a gifted artist cleverly disguised as a media superstar and sex bomb." A second volume is certainly in order. - AllMusic Review by Mark Deming

Putumayo Presents Bluegrass

Putumayo World Music – PUT 319-2

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2012
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Every Time You Say Goodbye: Alison Krauss / Union Station (03:15)
02 Been Down This Road: Railroad Earth (04:48)
03 Jackaroo: Jerry Garcia / David Grisman (03:59)
04 New Night Dawning: Andrea Zonn (03:18)
05 Across the Great Divide: Frank Solivan II (03:51)
06 Man of Constant Sorrow: Peter Rowan (04:47)
07 Shady Grove: James Alan Shelton (03:09)
08 New Railroad: Crooked Still (03:14)
09 Boots of Spanish Leather: The Seldom Scene (04:50)
10 The Last Goodbye: Uncle Earl (03:39)
11 Diggin' on the Mountainside: Town Mountain (03:47)
12 Diamond Joe: Sam Bush (03:38)
13 I'll Fly Away: Jeff Autry / Wayne Benson / Aubrey Haynie / Rob Ickes / Mark Schatz (03:19)
[Credits]
Producer: Dan Storper, Liner Notes: Holly George-Warren, Coordinator: Akari Uchiyama, Burton Yount, Cody Searles and John McQueeney, Artwork: Nicola Heindl, Designer: Burton Yount, Engineer: Lane Gibso
[Notes]
Born out of the tradition of the old Southern ensemble string bands of the 19th century, bluegrass is no older as a genre than rock & roll is, and both were born when the amplification of instruments became widely available in the '50s. What gives bluegrass the feel of being an older music form is the continued use of the old string band tunes, speeding them up, giving them lift, and reinventing them over and over again, so it probably should come as no surprise that two of the biggest highlights on this set of bluegrass performances are versions of old traditional songs, Peter Rowan's take on "Man of Constant Sorrow" and Sam Bush's rendition of "Diamond Joe." All in all, this is a very pleasant playlist. - AllMusic Bluegrass Review by Steve Leggett

Iron Mountain String Band: An Old Time Southern Mountain String Band

Folkways Records FA-2473

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Old Time
[Tracklist]
A01 Western Country (2:42)
A02 Skip to My Lou (1:40)
A03 Sail Away Ladies (3:30)
A04 Louisville Burglar (3:10)
A05 Lonesome Day (3:04)
A06 Train on the Island (2:48)
A07 Short Life of Trouble (2:38)
A08 Merry Golden Tree (5:45)
B01 Black Eyed Suzy (2:42)
B02 Sally Goodin' (1:56)
B03 Lewis Collins (2:22)
B04 Little Sparrow (2:08)
B05 Johnson Boys (2:21)
B06 Omie Wise (2:59)
B07 Ground Hog (1:50)
B08 Pig in a Pen (2:16)
B09 Lone Prairie (1:20)
B10 Cluck Old Hen (2:45)
B11 Cumberland Gap (3:52)
[Credits]
Eric Davidson (banjo) Caleb Finch (fiddle) Peggy Haine (guitar)
Producer: Eric Davidson, Designer: Robert Clyne
[Notes]
Finch and Davidson started making field recordings of Southern Appalachian musicians in the 1950s, primarily those in Grayson and Carroll counties, Virginia, such as Wade Ward and Glen Smith. Those recordings became the basis for a series of albums published by Folkways. The Iron Mountain String Band was founded in 1963, in New York City, and began making its own Folkways albums 10 years later. Finch and Davidson moved to Southern California in the 1970s and recorded an album as recently as 2001.

Cowboy Playground

Putumayo Kids Music – P318-SL

Format: CD, Album, Promo
Country: US
Released: 2012
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Children's
[Tracklist]
01 Saddle Bum: Wylie & the Wild West (02:52)
02 I'm an Old Cowhand: Riders in the Sky (02:39)
03 Close 'Em on Up: Kerry Grombacher (02:46)
04 Back in the Saddle Again: Sean Blackburn, Liz Masterson (02:46)
05 It's the Cowboy Life for Me: David John & The Comstock Cowboys (03:02)
06 Pecos Bill: Buck Howdy (02:39)
07 Don't Fence Me In: Johnny Bregar (03:12)
08 Home on the Range: Kathryn Claire, Victor Johnson (02:35)
09 Whoopee Ti Yi Yo: Ian Tyson (03:15)
10 May the Trail Rise Up to Greet You: Dave Stamey (03:32)
11 Take Me Back to the Range: Don Edwards, Peter Rowan (04:09)
12 Happy Trails: Cowboy Envy (01:35)
[Credits]
Producer: Dan Storper, Liner Notes: Holly George-Warren, Cover Art: Nicola Heindl, Designer: Burton Yount, Photographer: Charles Belden, Project Coordinator: Kerry Grombacher, John McQueeney, Cody Searles and Akari Uchiyama, Mastering: Lane Gibson
[Notes]
This warm and affable kids' set features contemporary renditions of cowboy songs like "I'm an Old Cowhand" (done by Riders in the Sky), "Whoopee Ti Yi Yo" (done by Ian Tyson), and "Happy Trails" (done by Cowboy Envy), making for a charming and professionally recorded facsimile of the life and the music of cowboys in the Old West. - AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers: Run Mountain

Arhoolie Records – CD 456

Format: CD, Album, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1997
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Early Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Mississippi Sawyer (2:58)
02 Ramshackle Shack (3:06)
03 Run Mountain (2:54)
04 Short Life Of Trouble (3:47)
05 If I Lose Let Me Lose (4:14)
06 Greenback Dollar (3:20)
07 Seven And A Half (2:54)
08 Don't Go Out Little Darling (2:51)
09 Over In The Gloryland (4:12)
10 The Country Blues (3:04)
11 Hop Along Peter (2:36)
12 He's Coming To Us Dead (3:15)
13 Crying Holy (2:34)
14 Oh Those Tombs (3:39)
15 Rhythm Blues (2:37)
16 Two Little Rosebuds (3:20)
17 Sally Goodin (3:27)
18 Maple On The Hill (4:01)
19 My Home's In Louisiana (2:33)
20 Wild Bill Jones (3:04)
21 Shake My Mother's Hand For Me (2:46)
22 I'm Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail (3:12)
23 Mama Don't Allow (3:20)
[Credits]
J.E. Mainer (fiddle/banjo/vocals) J.E. Mainer Jr. (guitar/vocals) Carolyn Mainer (guitar/vocals) Glenn Mainer (banjo) Otis Overcash (mandolin) Earl Cheeks (bass/vocals)
Producer and Recorder: Chris Strachwitz, Cove: Beth Weil
[Notes]
Somewhere near the crossroads of traditional string band music and early bluegrass, you'll find J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers. Though this recording was made in Concord, N.C. on April 7, 1963, with Mainer having replaced all his former band members with his own children and a few friends, the collection is still nothing short of superb, with over 70 minutes of high spirited and rambunctious old timey music. Drawing on lively fiddle tunes, classic spirituals, ballads, and standard string band fare, a very loose and impromptu feeling runs through the 23 cuts, as the band seems to be having more than a little fun on tracks like "If I Lose Let Me Lose" and "Crying Holy." Good harmonies, excellent musicianship and an authentic and sincere presentation make Run Mountain a nearly flawless document of traditional string band music. - AllMusic Review by Matt Fink

16 Down Home Country Classics

Arhoolie Records - CD 110

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1997
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Single Girl: Rose Maddox (2:09)
02 No Never No: Strange Creek Singers (4:09)
03 Run Mountain: J.E. Mainer (2:52)
04 Spanish Fandango: Snuffy Jenkins (1:23)
05 Eight Thirty Blues: The Armstrong Twins (2:09)
06 Hey, Hey Bartender: Del McCoury (2:38)
07 Sam McGee Stomp: Sam McGee (2:04)
08 Old Dan Tucker: Louisiana Honey Drippers (2:20)
09 You Turned Your Back: Toni Brown (2:17)
10 Carroll County Blues: Suzy and Eric Thompson (3:18)
11 George's Playhouse Boogie: Maddox Brothers & Rose (2:44)
12 John Barleycorn: Kenny Baker (2:11)
13 Black Land Farmer: Bill Neely (3:48)
14 Turkey Buzzard / Chinquapin Hunting: Any Old Time String Band (2:46)
15 Hello Stranger: The Carter Family (2:09)
16 Bogue Chito Fling Ding: Hodges Brothers (1:56)
[Credits]
Producer and Editor: Chris Strachwitz and Tom Diamant, Photographer: Barry Oliver, Designer: Wayne Pope and Craig Millman
[Notes]
"Down home" country music originated in the Appalachian region of Virginia, North and South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee in the early part of the 20th century. Played using acoustical stringed instruments, traditional country music is derived from English folk songs along with elements of gospel and blues. This collection presents 16 examples of traditional country music and includes tracks from the Carter Family, the Strange Creek Singers with Hazel Dickens, Rose Maddox, and NEA National Heritage Fellow Del McCoury. Liner notes include each track's original Arhoolie album for further listening.

The Po' Ramblin' Boys: Never Slow Down

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40249

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Mar 25, 2022
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist] 01 Missing Her Has Never Slowed Me Down (3:12)
02 Where Grass Won't Grow (3:36)
03 Lonesome (2:56)
04 Blues Are Close At Hand (2:39)
05 When Are You Gonna Tell Me? (3:23)
06 Take My Ashes To The River (3:22)
07 Little Glass Of Wine (3:44)
08 Ramblin' Woman (2:53)
09 Woke Up With Tears In My Eyes (3:05)
10 Mason's Lament (3:35)
11 Old Time Angels (3:11)
[Credits]
Josh Rinkel (guitar/vocals) Jereme Brown (banjo/vocals) Laura Orshaw (fiddle/vocals) C.J. Lewandowski (mandolin/vocals) Jasper Lorentzen (bass/vocals)
Producer: Dave Maggard, Executive Producer: Daniel Sheehy and John Smith, Production manager: Mary Monseur, Liner Notes: Stacy Chandler, Photographer: Amy Richmond, Designer: Cooley Design Lab, Engineer: Paul Blakemore and Ben Surratt
[Notes]
Deep-rooted bluegrass troupe The Po' Ramblin' Boys kick it into high gear on Never Slow Down, their newest collection of classic songs and soon-to-be-classic originals. The GRAMMY-nominated group pours every ounce of passion they have into these recordings as they always have, this time with even more fervor and zeal with the addition of new band member Laura Orshaw. Taking on material by their heroes the Stanley Brothers, Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard, George Jones and more, the Po' Ramblin' Boys bridge the gap between the past and present, proving the eternal importance of bluegrass and making it accessible to all.

Gazette Vol. 2 Songs by Pete Seeger

A Collection of Topical Songs, Old and New without Direction as to Content or Pressure

Folkways Records – FN 2502

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1961
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Tomorrow Is A Highway (3:32)
A2 The Dying Miner (4:57)
A3 Bourgeois Town (2:07)
A4 The Literacy Test Song (1:32)
A5 Fayette County (3:04)
A6 Peat Bog Soldiers (3:23)
A7 Hold The Line (4:38)
B1 When A Fellow Is Out Of A Job (3:08)
B2 The Rand Hymn (2:08)
B3 The Crow And The Cradle (2:24)
B4 I Come And Stand At Every Door (2:26)
B5 The Easter Marchers (4:01)
B6 The Jack Ash Society (3:59)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo/12 string guitar/vocals)
Producer and Liner Notes: Irwin Silber
[Notes]
In the liner notes to this second volume of topical songs, Irwin Silber writes, "Traditional folk song, in addition to its inherent artistic worth and emotion-fulfilling qualities, has always served as the ‘living newspaper' of history." This "living newspaper" includes songs about the Centralia, Illinois mine disaster and the destruction of Hiroshima.

Gazette with Pete Seeger with banjo and 12 String Guitar

A Collection of Topical Songs, Old and New without Direction as to Content or Pressure

Folkways Records – FN 2501

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1958
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A01 Pretty Boy Floyd (2:46)
A02 Banks of Marble (3:17)
A03 The TVA Song (2:00)
A04 Martian Love Song (2:08)
A05 42 Kids (2:18)
A06 State of Arkansas (My Name is Terry Roberts) (2:07)
A07 Declaration of Independence (1:32)
A08 The Wild West Is Where I Want To Be (1:33)
A09 The Ballad of Sherman Wu (2:08)
A10 Roll On Columbia (3:37)
A11 The Sinking of the Reuben James (2:39)
B01 Then We'll Have Peace (2:09)
B02 The Scaler (1:20)
B03 Newspapermen (3:53)
B04 Talking Atom (Old Man Atom) (2:30)
B05 Teacher's Blues (2:33)
B06 The Demi Song (2:41)
B07 The Battle of Maxton Field (2:33)
B08 Doctor Freud (2:12)
B09 There is Mean Things Happening in This Land (1:55)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo/12 string guitar/vocals)
Producer and Liner Notes: Irwin Silber, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Twenty topical songs demonstrate that American folk music is still a living, vital, creative force, and can say as much about life today as it does about the past. Pretty Boy Floyd may be dead and gone, but his ballad still provides commentary on the penal system; likewise, "Forty-Two Kids," about school overcrowding, remains relevant.

Classic Piano Blues from Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40196

Country: US
Released: 2008
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Piano Blues
[Tracklist]
01 Dedication to Pete Johnson: Memphis Slim (3:12)
02 Early in the Morning: Booker T. Laury (3:06)
03 How Long Blues: Speckled Red (3:20)
04 Yellow Dog Blues: James P. Johnson and Katherine Handy Lewis (2:56)
05 Key to the Highway: Jazz Gillum, Memphis Slim (2:54)
06 Medium Blues: Meade "Lux" Lewis (2:51)
07 Black Wolf Blues: Champion Jack Dupree (2:57)
08 Dices Blues: Big Chief Ellis (4:54)
09 Big Fat Woman: Lead Belly (1:10)
10 Harlem Parlor Blues: Sammy Price (2:51)
11 Little Drops of Water: Henry Brown & Edith Johnson (3:03)
12 Pinetop's Boogie Woogie: Little Brother Montgomery (4:08)
13 Pinetop's Boogie Woogie: Speckled Red (3:26)
14 Wish Me Well: Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon (2:14)
15 All My Money's Gone: Henry Townsend (2:53)
16 You're My Man: Victoria Spivey (4:33)
17 On My Way to See Moe Asch: Champion Jack Dupree (4:21)
18 Sweet Old Chicago: Roosevelt Sykes (2:56)
19 No Special Rider Blues: Little Brother Montgomery (3:29)
20 Hesitation Blues: James P. Johnson (3:05)
[Credits]
Executive producers: Daniel E. Sheehy and Atesh Sonneborn, Compiled: Jeff Place and Richard James Burgess, Layout and design: Communication Visual (http://www.com-vis.com )
[Notes]
Storyville nightclubs, Beale Street juke joints, gambling houses, barrelhouse bars in the lumber and turpentine camps of East Texas—these were the places African American piano bluesmen called home. Born of ragtime and hard times, the piano blues migrated with its players from the deep South to the urban North. Classic Piano Blues revisits raucous boogie-woogie and blues legends Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Champion Jack Dupree, Speckled Red, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Lead Belly, Little Brother Montgomery, Roosevelt Sykes, James P. Johnson, and more, in 20 tracks drawn from the well of the Folkways Collections. Extensive notes, 32-page booklet, 64 minutes.