Blind Campbell and His Nashville Street Band

Arhoolie Records – CD 438

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1963
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country Blues, Delta Blues
[Tracklist]
01 Have I Stayed Away Too Long (03:15)
02 I'm Crazy about You Baby (03:25)
03 Buffalo Gal (01:49)
04 Will the Circle Be Unbroken (04:02)
05 The Moon May Rise in Blood (03:59)
06 John Henry (02:25)
07 Baby Please Don't Go (02:19)
08 Jimmy's Blues (04:52)
09 Monkey Man Blues (03:43)
10 This Little Light of Mine (02:55)
11 Detroit Blues (02:46)
12 Beauford's Breakdown (01:40)
13 Gambling Man (02:37)
14 Sittin' Here Drinking (02:34)
15 Jam Piece (George's Boogie) (02:37)
16 I Never Had Nothing (03:06)
17 Do You Remember (Theme Song) (03:22)
18 My Gal Got Evil (04:22)
19 Beauford's Boogie Woogie (03:03)
20 When the Saints Go Marching In (03:04)
21 I Am So Blue When It Rains (03:18)
22 Pick and Shovel Blues (04:58)
23 Detroit Jump (02:33)
[Credits]
James Campbell (guitar/vocals) Beauford Clay (fiddle/banjo) Bell Ray (fiddle/guitar/vocals) George Bell (trumpet) Ralph Robinson (bass horn/tuba)
Producer, Recorder, Liner Notes and Photographer: Chris Strachwitz, Designer: Wayne Pope, Dix Bruce and Tom Diamant
[Notes]
Blind as the result of an industrial work accident, James Campbell (1906–1981) became an itinerant guitarist/singer leading a street band in Nashville from the 1930s into the 1960s. Carter’s repertoire was a mix of blues, country, jazz, old-time popular, minstrel, skiffle, and jug band music. In the early 1960s, Arhoolie founder Chris Strachwitz recorded Carter surrounded with his band in Carter’s living room. What the band lacked in musical polish, they made up for with spirit, authenticity, and vitality. This collection contains music from both recording sessions and features Beauford Clay on violin.

Old Time North Carolina Mountain Music

with Bill, Billie Ray & David Johnson

Folkways Records – FTS 31105

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Old Time
[Tracklist]
A1 Knoxville Girl (4:48)
A2 Rueben (2:57)
A3 The Wreck Of The Old 97 (2:40)
A4 Nine Pound Hammer (2:27)
A5 Poor Ellen Smith (2:20)
A6 Plossum Blowed His Horn (2:54)
A7 Banks Of The Ohio (2:44)
B1 Jimmy Sutton (2:03)
B2 Down In The Willow Garden (2:33)
B3 Cumberland Gap (2:30)
B4 Going Down The Road Feeling Bad (2:29)
B5 Sugar Babe (2:05)
B6 Pretty Polly (2:48)
B7 Southwood Mountain (1:58)
[Credits]
Bill Johnson (banjo) Billie Ray Johnson (guitar) David Johnson (fiddle)
Producer: John R. Craig, Photographer: Gilbert Blackburn, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Born in North Carolina in 1911, Bill Johnson started playing the banjo at the age of eight. With his son Billie Ray on guitar and grandson David on fiddle, he leads three generations of talented mountain musicians in this collection of murder ballads and folk songs. All the instrumental songs are what Johnson calls "old tunes." They have been handed down through the generations and can still be heard on front porches and at dances in the Western North Carolina Mountains. Vocal tunes, including "Knoxville Girl" and "Poor Ellen Smith," are also featured.

The Legend of Tom Dula and Other Tragic Love Ballads sung by Sheila Clark

Folkways Records – FTS 31110

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 The Ballad of Tom Dula (3:42)
A2 The Ballad of Laura Foster (9:15)
A3 Cold, Cold Ground (4:15)
A4 Tom Dula's Own Ballad (1:55)
B1 House Carpenter (5:15)
B2 Come All Ye Fair Ladies (3:38)
B3 Silver Dagger (2:30)
B4 The Jealous Lover (3:15)
B5 The False Knight (5:10)
[Credits]
Sheila Clark (guitar/vocals) David Johnson (guitar/banjo/bass/violin/mandolin)
Producer: John R. Craig, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Folk singer Sheila Clark sings songs of tragic love. The first four songs of the set tell the story of Tom Dula and the murder of Laura Foster, who may have been his fiancé. The title song "The Legend of Tom Dula," is the best-known, due in part by the 1958 folk hit "Tom Dooley," made famous by the Kingston Trio. The five remaining songs include several Child ballads ("House Carpenter" and "The False Knight"). Clark sings and plays guitar with instrumental backup by David Johnson. The liner notes, written by album producer John R Craig, provide information about the legend of Tom Dula and complete lyrics for all the songs.

Nootka Indian Music of the Pacific North West Coast

Collected, Recorded and Annotated by Ida Halpern

Ethnic Folkways Library – FE 4524

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: USA & Canada
Released: 1974
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Indigenous
[Tracklist]
A01 Canoe Paddle Song: Peter Webster (01:50)
A02 Entrance Song #1, or Quiquatla Dance: Peter Webster (02:00)
A03 Entrance Song #2, or Calling Song - Quiquatla Dance: Peter Webster (09:07)
A04 Medicine Man Song: Peter Webster (03:57)
A05 Whale Song: Peter Webster (05:05)
A06 Farewell Song: Peter Webster (03:24)
B01 Echo Song - Paddle Song: George Clutesi (02:41)
B02 Welcome Song: George Clutesi (03:31)
B03 Warrior Song: George Clutesi (02:20)
B04 Victory Song: George Clutesi (03:00)
B05 Farewell Song: George Clutesi (01:50)
B06 Wolf Song: Mungo Martin (04:04)
B07 Sisiutl Song: Mungo Martin (02:20)
B08 Robin Song: Mungo Martin (02:29)
C01 Grizzly Bear Song: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (02:07)
C02 Wolf Dance: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (02:03)
C03 Victory Song: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (01:42)
C04 Hinikeets Song: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (03:40)
C05 Himikitsem: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (01:40)
C06 Ha Ma Mai: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (01:58)
C07 Himikitsem (Headdress Song): Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (02:20)
C08 Mountain Song - Tsho Va Da: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (02:43)
C09 Invitation Song: Fred Louis and Ella Thompson (02:34)
C10 Tama: Fred Louis (03:08)
D01 Sea Serpent Headdress Song: Frank Williams (02:39)
D02 Hinikeets - Sea Serpent Song: n/a (02:20)
D03 Quiquatla Dance: Frank Williams (02:52)
D04 Hamatsa Song: Frank Williams (01:54)
D05 Song from the Hopachisat Tribe: n/a (02:10)
D06 Comparison of Two Versions of the Welcome Song: George Clutesi (02:16)
D07 Comparison of Two Versions of the Welcome Song: George Clutesi (03:35)
D08 Clan Song: Joe Titian (03:45)
D09 For Topahti / Potlatch Song: Joe Titian (02:29)
[Credits]
Recorder and Producer: Ida Halpern, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
The Nootka people, now referred to as Nuu-chah-nulth, live along the coast of British Columbia, Canada, on and around Vancouver Island. Their music shows a clear history of polyphonic tradition, which the liner notes claim to be the earliest instance in the region. Song leaders begin some vocal songs unaccompanied, but then are joined by followers and drum beats. On many tracks, the musicians offer introductions; the inclusion of the spoken word is significant because it gives both a more complete picture of the singer and a glimpse into the cultural significance and meaning of the songs. The fieldwork experience gathering songs in this region was very challenging due to the fact that each individual song was traditionally personally owned, and permission from the owner was needed in order to sing it. Dr. Ida Halpern (1910–1987), an Austrian-born Canadian musicologist who studied not only the Nootka but also several other coastal tribes of British Columbia, collected these tracks. Other recordings by Dr. Halpern include Kwakiutl: Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest, Haida: Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest, and Indian Music of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

CooP - The Fast Folk Musical Magazine March '83 Vol. 2, No. 2 Story Songs

Fast Folk Musical Magazine - SE 202

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 No Reason to Cry: Richard Meyer, Mark Dann, Judy Molner, and Jack Hardy (03:12)
A2 Nancy Reynard: The New England Express (03:46)
A3 My Name Joe: George Gerdes and Mark Dann (05:34)
A4 Spotlight: Lucy Kaplansky and Mark Dann (03:35)
A5 Clancy: Tom McGhee, Mark Dann, Lucy Kaplansky, and Jack Hardy (03:22)
A6 Pretty Peggy-O: Jack Hardy, Angela Page, and Mark Dann (05:15)
B1 Falling from Grace: Pete Gardner, Alecia Arcello, and Mark Dann (04:44)
B2 Miami: Rosemary Kirstein and Mark Dann (05:20)
B3 Shale City Line: Bernie Shanahan and Mark Dann (04:55)
B4 The Swimmer: Bob Warren (04:15)
B5 Mandolin Band: Alan Beck and Mark Dann (03:18)
B6 Mary Elizabeth: Joe Heukerott (06:20)
[Credits]
Producer and Liner Notes: Jack Hardy, Field Workerand Recorder: Mark Dann
[Notes]
Fast Folk Musical Magazine continued its second year with a collection of a dozen story songs. This issue focuses on stories of wandering, love, and loss. Among the musical storytellers and stories are Jack Hardy ("Pretty Peggy-O"), Lucy Kaplansky ("Spotlight"), Joe Heukerott ("Mary Elizabeth"), Alan Beck ("Mandolin Band"), and The New England Express ("Nancy Reynard"). A 23-page copy of The CooP with articles on Townes Van Zandt and Harry Chapin, and an article discussing the songs "Ballad of Bernadette Dohrn" and "Revolution Merit Badge" are featured.

North Carolina Ballads sung by Artus Moser

Folkways Records – FA 2112

Format: Vinyl, LP, 10"
Country: US
Released: 1955
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Gospel
[Tracklist]
A1 Sourwood Mountain (01:25)
A2 Swannanoa Town (02:09)
A3 The Old Man Over the Hill (03:33)
A4 Old Grey Mare (02:38)
A5 The Two Sisters (03:21)
B1 Wildwood Flower (02:28)
B2 The False Knight Upon the Road (02:23)
B3 Cumberland Gap (03:21)
B4 Lord Randall (02:40)
B5 Poor Ellen Smith (01:18)
B6 Sweet Rivers (02:09)
[Credits]
Artus Moser (dulcimer/guitar/vocals)
Producer and Liner Notes: Kenneth S. Goldstein
[Notes]
Singer and college professor Artus Moser's interest in song collecting began when his students in Tennessee insisted they knew better versions of ballads than those presented in their textbooks. This collection of North Carolina songs comes from his renowned collection of traditional music, and includes informative liner notes by folklorist Ken