Showing posts with label Doc Watson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doc Watson. Show all posts

December 3, 2023

Friends of Old Time Music: The Folk Arrival 1961-1965

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40160

Format: 3 x CD, Compilation
Country: United States
Released: 2006
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, Gospel, & Old Time
[Tracklist]
1-01 I'm Troubled: Doc and Arnold Watson (03:10)
1-02 The Country Blues: Dock Boggs (04:24)
1-03 Going Down to the River: Fred McDowell (03:09)
1-04 East Virginia Blues: Roscoe Holcomb (04:51)
1-05 The Storms Are on the Ocean: Maybelle Carter (03:03)
1-06 The Dream of the Miner's Child: The Stanley Brothers (04:03)
1-07 Soldier's Joy: Hobart Smith (01:45)
1-08 Coffee Blues: Mississippi John Hurt (04:47)
1-09 Live and Let Live: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (02:46)
1-10 Lonely Tombs: The Watson Family (02:25)
1-11 Rockin' Boogie: Jesse Fuller (03:46)
1-12 Brown's Dream: Gaither Carlton and Doc Watson (01:43)
1-13 Down South Blues: Dock Boggs (03:17)
1-14 Knoxville Blues: Sam McGee (02:30)
1-15 Have a Feast Here Tonight: The Stanley Brothers (03:12)
1-16 Riley: John Davis and the Georgia Sea Island Singers (02:09)
1-17 Buck and Wing: Jesse Fuller (01:22)
2-01 Hell Among the Yearlings: Arthur Smith (01:47)
2-02 Amelia Earhart's Last Flight: The Greenbriar Boys (03:47)
2-03 The Brakeman's Blues: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (02:32)
2-04 Foggy Mountain Top: Maybelle Carter (02:07)
2-05 Hicks' Farewell: Doc Watson (05:00)
2-06 Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel: The New Lost City Ramblers (02:42)
2-07 Write Me a Few of Your Lines: Fred McDowell (02:54)
2-08 Bimini Gal: Joseph Spence (02:44)
2-09 Shady Grove: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (01:37)
2-10 Grey Eagle: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (01:36)
2-11 Walkin' the Dog: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (02:03)
2-12 San Francisco Bay Blues: Jesse Fuller (03:24)
2-13 Short Life of Trouble: Doc and Arnold Watson (03:41)
2-14 John Henry: Roscoe Holcomb (01:59)
2-15 Kneelin' Down Inside the Gate: Stanley Thompson (03:45)
2-16 Tell Me Why You Like Roosevelt: McKinley Peebles (04:29)
2-17 Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow: Maybelle Carter (02:34)
2-18 Mansions for Me: The Stanley Brothers (02:27)
2-19 Before This Time Another Year: Bessie Jones and the Georgia Sea Island Singers (05:02)
3-01 My Creole Belle: Mississippi John Hurt (02:54)
3-02 Guitar Lesson: Jesse Fuller (01:26)
3-03 Cincinnati Blues: Jesse Fuller (02:27)
3-04 Poor Boy in Jail: Dock Boggs (02:41)
3-05 He's Solid Gone: Maybelle Carter (02:44)
3-06 Maggie Walker Blues: The Clarence Ashley Group (03:43)
3-07 Chevrolet: Ed Young and Emma Ramsay (03:14)
3-08 Rising Sun Blues: Roscoe Holcomb (03:03)
3-09 Lord, Build Me a Cabin in Glory: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (01:37)
3-10 Frankie and Albert: Mississippi John Hurt (05:20)
3-11 Hard Times: The Stanley Brothers (02:23)
3-12 The Miller's Will: Horton Barker (03:17)
3-13 The Coo Coo Bird: Clarence Ashley (04:04)
3-14 Double File: Gaither Carlton and Doc Watson (01:30)
3-15 The Wandering Boy: Annie Bird (03:22)
3-16 Stranger Blues: Jesse Fuller (03:29)
3-17 I Saw the Light: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (02:24)
3-18 Sugar Hill: Maybelle Carter (01:06)
3-19 Amazing Grace: The Clarence Ashley Group (04:29)
[Credits]
Producer, Recorder, Mastering Engineer and Liner Notes: Peter K Siegel, Photographer: David Gahr, John Cohen, Alan Lomax, Mike Seeger, Guy Droussart, and Anton Mikofsky
[Notes]
From 1961 to 1965, New York City's trailblazing Friends of Old Time Music presented 14 concerts that brought dozens of legendary traditional musicians before city audiences for the first time. This "folk arrival" changed the course of American folk music, expanding the vision of the Folk Song Revival and leaving an indelible mark on the musical landscape. For Friends of Old Time Music, Peter K. Siegel, who personally recorded most of the concerts, handpicked 55 tracks from the original master tapes. They include the first concert appearances by Doc Watson, Roscoe Holcomb, Clarence Ashley, and Joseph Spence, and the triumphant return visits to New York by Dock Boggs and Mississippi John Hurt, who had made classic recordings in the city during the 1920s. Three CDs of live concert recordings. 55 tracks, including 53 never before released tracks. Accompanied by a richly illustrated 60-page book. Recorded, produced, and annotated by Peter K. Siegel A Henry Street Folklore production Produced in association with City Lore, Inc.

June 17, 2023

Friends of Old Time Music

Folkways Records – FA 2390

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: United States
Released: 1964
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, & Old Time
[Tracklist]
A1 Double File: Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton (01:55)
A2 Hicks' Farewell: Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton (04:32)
A3 Soldier's Joy: Hobart Smith (01:42)
A4 Claude Allen: Hobart Smith (03:48)
A5 Monday Morning Blues: Mississippi John Hurt (05:58)
A6 Pallet on the Floor: Mississippi John Hurt (04:36)
A7 Chick-a-la-lee-o: Almeda Riddle (03:02)
B1 Come All Ye Tender Hearted: The Stanley Brothers (03:38)
B2 Little Birdie: The Stanley Brothers (02:40)
B3 Rabbit in the Log: The Stanley Brothers (02:24)
B4 Dark Holler Blues: Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley (04:57)
B5 What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue?: Jesse Fuller (03:43)
B6 Mistreated Mama Blues: Dock Boggs (02:07)
B7 Hook and Line: Roscoe Holcomb (00:31)
B8 Pretty Fair Miss All in a Garden: Roscoe Holcomb (03:55)
B9 He's Coming In Glory Some Day: Doc Watson, Clint Howard, Fred Price (02:46)
[Credits]
Producer and Photogrpher: John Cohen, Producer and Recorder: Peter K. Siegel, Recorder and Liner Notes: Ralph Rinzler, Recorder: Edward A. Kahn, Mike Seeger
[Notes]
Founded in 1960 by Margot Mayo, Jean Ritchie, John Cohen, Ralph Rinzler, and Israel G. Young, the Friends of Old Time Music endeavored to bring traditional folk artists to New York City to show people "the real thing." This album features the artists who participated in the non-profit's concerts between 1961 and 1963.

November 9, 2022

Crossroads: Southern Routes

Smithsonian Folkways – SF CD 40080
Smithsonian Folkways – SF CD 40080

Format: CD, Compilation, Enhanced
Country: US
Released: 1996
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Latin, Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Bluegrass, Gospel, Folk, Rockabilly
[Tracklist]
01 Rising Sun: Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, and Coyal McMahan (02:40)
02 Statesboro Blues: The Allman Brothers Band (04:15)
03 Blue Monk: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (03:34)
04 Les Quatre Vieux Garcons: Dewey Balfa, Peter Schwarz, and Tony Balfa (02:05)
05 Travelin' Shoes: Vera Hall (01:36)
06 Woke Up This Mornin' With My Mind on Freedom: The Freedom Singers (02:29)
07 Mice and the Bad Angel/Turtle's Song to the Wolf: Betty Mae Jumper (01:22)
08 Brother John/Iko Iko: The Neville Brothers (05:33)
09 White House Blues: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys (02:03)
10 Blue Suede Shoes: Carl Perkins (02:14)
11 Anque Me Odies: Lydia Mendoza (02:43)
12 Apartment #9: Tammy Wynette (02:58)
13 Too Many Hungry Mouths Around the Table: Denise La Salle (03:50)
14 Southbound: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:41)
15 I'd Rather Be an Old Time Christian: The Kingsmen (02:01)
16 There is None Like Him: The Mississippi Mass Choir (04:47)
[Credits]
Producer and Liner Notes: Kip Lornell, Producer: Jon Kertzer and Steve Moreland, Liner Notes: Anthony Seeger, Designer: Scott Stowell
[Notes]
Blues, bluegrass, rockabilly, soul/blues, freedom songs, and other genres on this recording all have deep roots in southern culture and have influenced music worldwide. In a CD player, the 16 songs and liner notes introduce regional southern traditions. In a compatible CD-ROM drive, the music is complemented by hundreds of photos, texts, maps, audio and video clips and artist interviews. Hear the American South and discover the roots of American musical traditions. Artists include Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, The Allman Brothers, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Les Quatre Vieux Garcons (Dewey Balfa), Vera Hall, The SNCC Freedom Singers, Betty Mae Jumper, Neville Brothers, Bill Monroe, Carl Perkins, Lydia Mendoza, Tammy Wynette, Denise LaSalle, Doc and Merle Watson, The Kingsmen, and Mississippi Mass Choir. "The best enhanced CD yet." — U.S. News and World Report

September 30, 2022

Classic Old-Time Music from Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40093
Smithsonian Folkways Classic Series
Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40093

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Fol, Old Timek
[Tracklist]
01 Sugar Hill: The Iron Mountain String Band (03:35)
02 Bill Morgan and His Gal: The New Lost City Ramblers (02:57)
03 Country Blues: Dock Boggs (03:52)
04 Little Sadie: Clarence Ashley (02:20)
05 Susannah Gal: Frank Bode and Tommy Jarrell (02:59)
06 Wednesday Night Waltz: Clark Kessinger (03:07)
07 Cyclone of Rye Cove: The New Lost City Ramblers (03:05)
08 I'm Leaving You This Lonesome Song: Maybelle Carter and Sara Carter Bayes (02:37)
09 Carroll County Blues: Doc Watson and Fred Price (01:42)
10 Don't Let Your Deal Go Down: Sam and Kirk McGee (03:03)
11 Trouble in Mind: Roscoe Holcomb (02:18)
12 Chilly Winds: Wade Ward (01:08)
13 Going Down the Road Feeling Bad: David, Bill and Billie Ray Johnson (02:25)
14 Pretty Polly: Lee Sexton (02:13)
15 Bonaparte's Retreat: Mike Seeger (01:29)
16 Concord Rag: J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers (02:15)
17 John Henry: George Pegram (02:18)
18 Bowling Green: Cousin Emmy with The New Lost City Ramblers (01:49)
19 Fine Times in Our House: John W. Summers (03:12)
20 Streets of Glory: Old Reliable String Band (02:10)
21 Policeman: The Spare Change Boys (02:53)
22 Soldier's Joy: Joe and Tommy Thompson (02:15)
23 House of David Blues: Red Clay Ramblers with Al McCanless (01:27)
24 Ship in the Clouds: Andy Cahan, Lisa Ornstein and Laura Fishleder (01:46)
25 Late Last Night: Sam and Kirk McGee (02:26)
26 Look Down That Lonesome Road: Gaither Carlton (02:07)
27 Down Yonder: Gordon Tanner, Joe Miller, and John Patterson (02:38)
28 Jaybird March: Etta Baker and Cora Phillips (01:51)
29 John Brown's Dream: The New Lost City Ramblers (01:35)
[Credits]
Compiler and Liner Notes: Jeff Place
[Notes]
This collection of old-time social and instrumental string-band music spotlights instrumental prowess. Old-time music features playing styles that pre-date bluegrass, emerging from the string band tradition stretching back to the early years of United States history. Both African-American and Anglo-American ingredients are at its core, the banjo having African origins, the fiddle European. Some of the most revered sources of old-time roots music—Dock Boggs, Roscoe Holcomb, Wade Ward, Tommy Jarrell, and more—are heard playing in their original styles. The Grateful Dead's cover of "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" and Bob Dylan's rendition of Clarence Ashley's "Little Sadie" clearly attest to the continuing influence of these songs. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place.

May 20, 2022

Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40192
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.

January 12, 2022

Friends of Old Time Music

Disc Records – DS-1113
Disc Records – D 113

Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Tracklist]
A1 Double File: Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton (1:55)
A2 Hicks' Farewell: Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton (4:32)
A3 Soldier's Joy: Hobart Smith (1:42)
A4 Claude Allen: Hobart Smith (3:48)
A5 Monday Morning Blues: Mississippi John Hurt (5:58)
A6 Pallet on the Floor: Mississippi John Hurt (4:36)
A7 Chick-a-la-lee-o: Almeda Riddle (3:02)
B1 Come All Ye Tender Hearted: The Stanley Brothers (3:38)
B2 Little Birdie: The Stanley Brothers (2:40)
B3 Rabbit in the Log: The Stanley Brothers (2:24)
B4 Dark Holler Blues: Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley (4:57)
B5 What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue?: Jesse Fuller (3:43)
B6 Mistreated Mama Blues: Dock Boggs (2:07)
B7 Hook and Line: Roscoe Holcomb (0:31)
B8 Pretty Fair Miss All in a Garden: Roscoe Holcomb (3:55)
B9 He's Coming In Glory Some Day: Doc Watson, Clint Howard, Fred Price (2:46)
[Credits]
Producer: John Cohen and Peter K. Siegel, Recorder: Edward A. Kahn, Ralph Rinzler and Mike Seeger
{Notes}
Founded in 1960 by Margot Mayo, Jean Ritchie, John Cohen, Ralph Rinzler, and Israel G. Young, the Friends of Old Time Music endeavored to bring traditional folk artists to New York City to show people "the real thing." This album features the artists who participated in the non-profit's concerts between 1961 and 1963.

January 7, 2022

The Kentucky Colonels: Long Journey Home

Vanguard – VCD 77004
Vanguard – VCD 77004

Series: Newport Folk Festival Classics
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1991
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Roll On Buddy (2:18)
02 Bill Cheatham (2:53)
03 There Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone (2:51)
04 Shuckin' The Corn (1:58)
05 A Beautiful Life (1:58)
06 Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (3:09)
07 Over In The Glory Land (1:52)
08 Sally Ann (1:36)
09 Brakeman's Blues (3:15)
10 Soldier's Joy (1:14)
11 Listen To The Mockingbird (1:13)
12 Farewell Blues (1:58)
13 Lonesome Road Blues (1:18)
14 Beaumont Rag (1:58)
15 Footprints In The Snow (2:08)
16 Long Journey Home (1:58)
17 In The Pines (2:24)
18 Chicken Reel (2:06)
19 Old Hickory (1:27)
20 Auld Lang Syne (3:20)
21 Nola (2:33)
22 Flat Fork (1:36)
23 Shady Grove (1:36)
[Credits]
Roland White (mandolin/vocals) Clarence White (guitar/vocals) Billy Ray Latham (banjo/vocals) Roger Bush (bass/vocals) Doc Watson (guitar) Bill Keith (banjo)
Producer and Liner Notes: Mary Katherine Aldin, Producer: Kent Crawford, Photographers: John Delgato and Bev Male, Engineer: Jeff Zaraya
[Notes]
The Kentucky Colonels are heard at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival on this Vanguard CD. A quartet at the time, as fiddler Scotty Stoneman had not yet joined the band, their performances include both instrumentals and vocals, with bassist Roger Bush also serving as the MC. Guitarist Clarence White, mandolinist Roland White, banjo player Billy Ray Latham, and bassist Roger Bush seem effortless as they delve into bluegrass favorites like "Shuckin' the Corn," "Sally Ann," and "Shady Grove," though there are a few surprises in store. Doc Watson joins Clarence White for six intricate guitar duets (including White's arrangement of "Soldier's Joy" and Watson's chart of "Lonesome Road Blues"). Several of the numbers near the end of the CD actually feature the Kentucky Colonels backing banjo master Bill Keith, who later joined Clarence White in the short-lived group Muleskinner. While there are a few spots where the sound is a tad overmodulated, this vintage live music will be of great interest to serious bluegrass fans.-- AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden

December 28, 2021

Smithsonian Folkways American Roots Collection

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW40062
Smithsonian Folkways – SFW40062

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1996
Genre: Jazz, Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Gospel, Bluegrass, Cajun, Folk, Country
[Tracklist]
01 Penitentary Blues: Lightnin' Hopkins (2:56)
02 Sweet Old Chicago: Roosevelt Sykes (2:58)
03 Blue Moon of Kentucky: Bill Monroe (2:02)
04 If I Had a Hammer (Hammer Song): Pete Seeger (2:13)
05 Lafayette: Lucinda Williams (3:45)
06 Bosco Stomp: Nonc Allie Young, Bessyl Duhon, and Rodney Balfa (3:04)
07 Better Day: Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee (3:04)
08 Long Road to Travel: Lonnie Johnson (2:22)
09 The Cuckoo Bird (The Coo-Coo Bird): Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley (2:35)
10 Pretty Saro: Doug and Jack Wallin (2:32)
11 Freight Train: Elizabeth Cotten (2:46)
12 Old Joe Bone: The New Lost City Ramblers (2:00)
13 Have a Feast Here Tonight: Bill Monroe and Doc Watson (2:24)
14 Freedom Road: Josh White (2:21)
15 This Land is Your Land: Woody Guthrie (2:19)
16 Two Good Men (Sacco and Vanzetti): Woody Guthrie (3:49)
17 Black Girl (In the Pines): Lead Belly (2:10)
18 Irene (Goodnight Irene): Lead Belly (2:18)
19 Somebody's Been Fooling #1: Big Joe Williams (2:52)
20 Hesitation Blues: Dave Van Ronk (2:34)
21 I'm Gonna Be an Engineer: Peggy Seeger (4:31)
22 Delgadina: Mercedez López (2:16)
23 I Was Standing by the Bedside of a Neighbor: Michele Lanchester and Sweet Honey (3:22)
24 Virgo: Mary Lou Williams (2:29)
25 Syl-O-Gism: Mary Lou Williams (3:31)
26 We Shall Overcome: The Freedom Singers, Dorothy Cotton, and Pete Seeger (2:42)
[Credits]
Compiler & Producer: Anthony Seeger & Amy Horowitz, Designer: Visual Dialogue, Engineer: David Glasser & Lea Anne Sonenstein
[Notes]
Twenty-six tracks from outstanding Smithsonian Folkways recordings present a panorama of American Roots music. Blues, Bluegrass, ballads, topical songs, and jazz are performed by master musicians. If you have never heard of Smithsonian Folkways or Folkways before, this collection will take you on a trip through American Music; if you have heard some already, you will still be delighted by the breadth and variety of this collection.

December 17, 2021

The Village Out West: The Lost Tapes of Alan Oakes

Smithsonian Folkways - SFW40245
Field Recordings of the 1960s California Folk Music Scene
Smithsonian Folkways - SFW40245

Format: 2 x CD, Album
Released: 2021
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Disk One]
01 Beaumont Rag: Hank Bradley and Rick Shubb (3:13)
02 Oh, Had I A Golden Thread: Larry Hanks and Roger Perkins (3:58)
03 Westphalia Waltz: Ron Hughey, Frank Hicks, and Pete Everwine (2:52)
04 Raggedy Pat: LaWanda Ultan (1:37)
05 8th of January: The Sweet's Mill Mountain Boys with Kenny Hall (2:23)
06 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms: Merritt Herring (2:33)
07 The Billboard Song: Doc Watson (2:12)
08 Write Me a Few of Yo Lines: Mississippi Fred McDowell (4:22)
09 Milwaukee Blues: Dr. Humbead's New Tranquility String Band (2:49)
10 Swallow Song: Kathy & Carol (1:34)
11 Charlie's Neat and Charlie's Sweet / Weevilly Wheat: Jerry Houck, Larry Hanks, and Tom Ninkovich (2:04)
12 Girl I Left in Sunny Tennessee: Jim Ringer, Ron Tinkler, and the Sweets Mill Mountain Boys (2:08)
13 Gimme That Old Time Religion: Rev. Gary Davis (4:09)
14 Talking Union: Gene Bluestein (2:42)
15 All My Friends Gonna Be Strangers: Kilby Snow (1:54)
16 Texas Quickstep: The Sweet’s Mill Mountain Boys with Kenny Hall (1:15)
17 Long Time a-Growing: Caroline Paton (4:00)
18 Mardi Gras Dance: Jerry Houck (3:30)
19 Lady of Carlisle: Don Rollins (aka Abel Fortune) (3:59)
20 White Winged Dove: Mark Spoelstra (4:28)
21 Sardines and Pork and Beans: Sandy and Caroline Paton (1:22)
22 Hoop-e-Kack: Dad Crockett and Frank Hicks (2:29)
23 Down, Down, Derry Down: Merritt Herring (2:55)
24 Walking Down That Railroad Line: Larry Hanks and Mark Spoelstra (4:16)
25 Duna: Ed Trickett (2:11)
26 Orange Blossom Special: Hank Bradley, Rick Shubb, and Doc Watson (4:18)
[Disk Two]
01 Fire on the Mountain: The Sweet's Mill Mountain Boys with Kenny Hall (1:28)
02 When the Curfew Blows: Sandy and Jeanie Darlington (1:48)
03 Ragtime Annie: Hank Bradley and Rick Shubb featuring Doc Watson (2:58)
04 The Hounds are Out (The Innocent Hare): Allan MacLeod (3:15)
05 Bachelor Blues: The New Lost City Ramblers (1:13)
06 Jimmy Whelan: Roger Renwick (3:41)
07 Paddy, Won't You Drink Some Cider?: The Sweet's Mill Mountain Boys with Kenny Hall (1:17)
08 Good Night Waltz: Ron Hughey and Frank Hicks (2:08)
09 Searchin': Kathy & Carol with Will Scarlett (2:30)
10 The Clouds Gwine Roll Away: Doc Watson (2:41)
11 Northfield: Larry Hanks, Roger Perkins, Kathy Larisch, and Carol McComb (2:02)
12 Baby, Let Me Lay It on You: Rev. Gary Davis (2:56)
13 Talking Fishing Blues: Larry Hanks (5:01)
14 Sweet Sunny South: Jerry Houck (2:27)
15 Play Run Run: Mark Spoelstra (2:29)
16 Cherokee Shuffle: Hank Bradley and Sandy Rothman featuring Doc Watson (3:21)
17 Bringing Mary Home: Kilby Snow (2:34)
18 The Lost Trapper: The Sweet’s Mill Mountain Boys with Kenny Hall (1:38)
19 Don't Mistreat Nobody (Cause You Got a Few Dimes): Mississippi Fred McDowell (4:19)
20 Billy in the Lowground: Hank Bradley and Rick Shubb featuring Doc Watson (3:31)
21 The Curlew's Song: Merritt Herring (3:55)
22 Jamie Raeburn's Farewell: Will Spires (4:02)
23 Hesitation Blues: Rev. Gary Davis (4:06)
24 I'm a Rover and Seldom Sober: Sandy and Caroline Paton (2:54)
25 O, Them Golden Slippers: Hank Bradley and Rick Shubb (2:06)
[Credits]
Recorder: Alan Oakes, Producer and Liner Notes: Deborah Robins, Jeff Place and Henry H. Sapoznik, Liner Notes: Hank Bradley and James Deutsch, Designer: Cooley Design Lab, Engineers: Jordan Cunningham and Ronnie Simpkins
[Notes]
The Village Out West celebrates the underappreciated bastion of the Folk Revival that emerged in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s, a counterpoint to the seminal New York City scene that has dominated the historical narrative. Compiled from a vast array of recordings by autodidact recording engineer Alan Oakes, the two-CD set features legendary names like Hank Bradley, Rev. Gary Davis, Larry Hanks, Mississippi Fred McDowell, New Lost City Ramblers, and Doc Watson, as well as unsung heroes of the local California communities that turned the region into fertile ground for American music. This music triumphantly transcends the passage of the decades with its luminous and passionate presence, making the case for California as a crucial hotbed for some of the most impressive and diverse folk music of the 20th century.

November 26, 2021

Doc Watson - Life's Work: A Retrospective

Craft Recordings
Craft Recordings

Format: 4 x CD, Compilation, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 2021
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Country, Bluegrass
[Disk One]
01 The Precious Jewel: Doc Watson (01:50)
02 Pharaoh: The Jack Williams Band, Doc Watson (02:56)
03 I Saw A Man At The Close Of The Day: Doc Watson (02:40)
04 Rambling Hobo: Doc Watson (01:38)
05 Darling Corey: Doc Watson (02:37)
06 Your Long Journey: Doc Watson (02:36)
07 The Cuckoo Bird: Doc Watson (03:04)
08 Everyday Dirt: Doc Watson (02:05)
09 Tickling The Strings / Black Mountain Rag: Doc Watson (03:30)
10 Storms Are On The Ocean: Doc Watson, Jean Ritchie (03:26)
11 What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul: Doc Watson, Bill Monroe (04:27)
12 And Am I Born To Die?: The Doc Watson Family (03:32)
13 My Little Woman, You're So Sweet: Doc Watson (02:19)
14 Little Orphan Girl: Doc Watson, Fred Price, Clint Howard (03:16)
15 Wanted Man: Doc Watson, Fred Price, Clint Howard (02:14)
16 Sittin On Top Of The World: Doc Watson (02:37)
17 Intoxicated Rat: Doc Watson (02:30)
18 Country Blues: Doc Watson (03:31)
19 Talk About Suffering: Doc Watson (02:48)
20 Little Omie Wise: Doc Watson (04:25)
21 St. James Hospital: Doc Watson (03:28)
22 Tom Dooley: Doc Watson (03:15)
23 Beaumont Rag: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (01:39)
24 Muskrat: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:52)
25 Weary Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:41)
26 We Shall All Be Reunited: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:11)
[Disk Two]
01 Southbound: Doc Watson (02:49)
02 Blue Railroad Train: Doc Watson (02:44)
03 Walk On Boy: Doc Watson (03:23)
04 Sweet Georgia Brown: Doc Watson (01:54)
05 Alberta: Doc Watson (02:43)
06 That Was The Last Thing On My Mind: Doc Watson (02:46)
07 Windy And Warm: Doc Watson (02:14)
08 Riddle Song: Doc Watson (02:42)
09 Georgie: Doc Watson (02:46)
10 Rain Crow Bill: Doc Watson (01:46)
11 Winter's Night: Doc Watson (03:24)
12 Matty Groves: Doc Watson (06:06)
13 Dill Pickle Rag: Doc Watson (01:24)
14 Willie Moore: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (04:02)
15 Peach Picking Time In Georgia: Doc Watson (02:57)
16 Memphis Blues: Doc Watson (02:43)
17 The Train That Carried My Girl From Town: Doc Watson (03:47)
18 Lost John: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:28)
19 Brown's Ferry Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:42)
20 The Clouds Are Gwine To Roll Away: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:50)
21 Life Gits Teejus Don't It: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (04:36)
22 Banks Of The Ohio : Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:45)
23 Spikedriver Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:00)
24 Deep River Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (03:36)
[Disk Three]
01 Nothing To It: Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson (02:48)
02 Streamlined Cannonball: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson (02:26)
03 Tennessee Stud: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doc Watson (04:51)
04 Way Downtown: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (03:36)
05 Freight Train Boogie: Doc Watson (03:03)
06 Summertime: Doc Watson (03:27)
07 Peace In The Valley: Doc Watson (03:00)
08 That's All: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:57)
09 Matchbox Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (03:32)
20 Bottle Of Wine: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:06)
21 Corina, Corina: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:48)
22 Doc's Rag: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (01:45)
23 Poor Boy Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:21)
24 Wake Up, Little Maggie: Doc Watson (02:53)
25 Peartree: Doc Watson (02:19)
26 Shady Grove: Doc Watson (02:40)
27 Miss The Mississippi And You: Doc Watson (03:40)
28 Steel Guitar Rag: Doc Watson (01:57)
29 Cypress Grove Blues: Doc Watson (03:58)
30 Wayfaring Stranger: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (03:33)
31 Look Up Look Down That Lonesome Road: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (04:01)
32 Minglewood Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (03:00)
33 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:45)
34 Let The Cocaine Be: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:29)
35 Don't Monkey Round My Ridder: Chet Atkins, Doc Watson (03:30)
[Disk Four]
01 Red Rocking Chair: T. Michael Coleman, Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:05)
02 John Hurt: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:29)
03 Below Freezing: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:18)
04 Along The Road: T. Michael Coleman, Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:51)
05 Liza / Lady Be Good: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:55)
06 Going To Chicago Blues: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (04:05)
07 Guitar Polka: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:20)
08 Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar: Doc Watson, Merle Watson (02:31)
09 Bright Sunny South: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:35)
10 Twin Sisters: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (01:38)
11 How Long Blues: James Cotton, Doc Watson (02:49)
12 Freight Train Blues: Doc Watdon, Merle Watson (02:44)
13 Riding That Midnight Train: Doc Watson (02:04)
14 What Does The Deep Sea Say: Doc Watson, Fred Price, Clint Howard (03:31)
15 Tough Luck Man: Doc Watson (02:31)
16 George Gudger's Overalls: Doc Watson (03:24)
17 Risin' Sun Blues: Doc Watson (04:17)
18 Salt Creek: Norman Blake, Tony Rice, Doc Watson (03:10)
19 You Must Come In At The Door: Doc Watson (02:15)
20 Your Lone Journey: Doc Watson (02:46)
21 Grandfather's Clock: Doc Watson (03:51)
22 Bird Dog: Doc Watson (03:57)
23 Turn The Lamps Down Low: Doc Watson, Richard Watson (02:48)
24 Nights In White Satin: Frosty Morn, Doc Watson (03:16)
25 Down In The River To Pray: Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Doc Watson (02:51)
26 Amazing Grace: Doc Watson (03:54)
[Creduts]
Producer: Ted Olson
[Notes]
Life's Work: A Retrospective is the brand-new career-spanning compilation album from Grammy Award winning American songwriter Doc Watson. Album includes multiple recordings with his son Merle Watson, as well as features from Allison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs and more. Includes Watson's collaborations with Bill Monroe, Chet Atkins, and others. Includes 101 songs, all new extensive liner notes by author and producer Ted Olson, and a nearly 100-page book insert featuring never before seen photos.

November 19, 2021

Classic American Ballads from Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW40215
Smithsonian Folkways – SFW40215

Series: Smithsonian Folkways Classic Series
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2015
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk, Country [Tracklist}
01 Banks of the Ohio: Doc Watson and Bill Monroe (3:32)
02 Blue Mountain Lake: Pete Seeger (2:47)
03 Claude Allen: Hobart Smith (3:50)
04 Cole Younger: Dock Boggs (1:50)
05 Cowboy’s Lament (Streets of Laredo): Buck Ramsey (3:21)
06 Boll Weevil: Sam Hinton (2:12)
07 Duncan and Brady: Lead Belly (1:08)
08 Floyd Collins: Paul Clayton (3:27)
09 Frankie and Johnny: Rolf Cahn and Eric Von Schmidt (6:39)
10 John Henry: John Jackson (3:22)
11 Jesse James: Sis Cunningham, Mike Millius, and Wes Houston (3:51)
12 Billy the Kid: Woody Guthrie (2:04)
13 The Death of the Lawson Family: Glen Neaves (1:54)
14 Naomi Wise: Doug Wallin (3:06)
15 Pearl Bryan: Bruce Buckley (2:54)
16 Sam Bass: Hermes Nye (1:59)
17 Springfield Mountain: Bascom Lamar Lunsford (2:31)
18 Tom Dooley: Glen Neaves, Roscoe Russell, Ivor Melton, Warren Brown, Ted Lundy (2:11)
19 Tying a Knot in the Devil's Tail: Cisco Houston (2:14)
20 Young Charlotte: Pete Seeger (4:05)
21 Wasn't That a Mighty Storm?: The Tex-i-an Boys (2:41)
22 Zebra Dun: Joan O'Bryant (2:32)
23 The Titanic: Pink Anderson (2:52)
24 The Louisville Burglar: The Iron Mountain String Band (3:09)
25 The F.F.V. (Engine 143): Annie Watson (3:56)
[Credits]
Compilers: Jeff Place, Katie Ortiz and Max Smith, Editor: Carla Borden, Designer: Joe Parisi
[Notes]
Born of the British ballad, its American offspring was the blank canvas for all type of tale, the more calami­tous or scandalous, the better. Jesse James and Billy the Kid, train wrecks and hurricanes, the Titanic and Tom Dooley, fatal lovers' quarrels and foiling the devil, all and more were normal fare, served up in a song. Classic American Balla

November 8, 2021

The Definitive Doc Watson

Sugar Hill Records – SUG-CD-4097097
Sugar Hill Records – SUG-CD-4097097

Format: 2 x CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2013
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Folk
[Disk One]
01 The Cyclone Of Rye Cove (2:22)
02 St. Louis Blues (2:35)
03 The House Carpenter (3:55)
04 The Wagoner's Lad (3:17)
05 Anniversary Blue Yodel (Blue Yodel #7) (2:10)
06 Sitting On Top Of The World (2:39)
07 Black Mountain Rag (1:33)
08 Country Blues (3:32)
09 Weary Blues (2:43)
10 Little Sadie (2:01)
11 Dreams Of The Miner's Child (2:51)
12 Southbound (2:52)
13 Tennessee Stud (3:38)
14 Blue Railroad Train (2:46)
15 Georgie (2:47)
16 Katie Morey (2:25)
17 Matty Groves (6:04)
[Disk Two]
01 Whistlin' Rufus/Ragtime Annie (4:04)
02 Big Spike Hammer (3:14)
03 Listening To The Rain (3:15)
04 Willie Moore (4:04)
05 My Rough And Rowdy Ways (2:32)
06 The Wreck Of The Number Nine (2:58)
07 Omie Wise (5:27)
08 Shady Grove (2:59)
90 Watson's Blues (3:32)
10 Slidin' Delta (2:03)
11 Bright Sunny South (2:38)
12 Greenville Testle High (3:28)
13 I'm Going Back To The Old Home (2:14)
14 George Gudger's Overalls (3:26)
15 The Ninety And The Nine (2:36)
16 Your Lone Journey (2:48)
17 Whiskey Before Breakfast (2:53)
[Credits]
Doc Watson (guitar/banjo/vocals) Merle Watson (guitar/banjo) Sam Bush (mandolin/fiddle) Marty Stuart (mandolin) Mark O'Connor (fiddle) Stuart Duncan (fiddle) Dan Crary (guitar) Bryan Sutton (guitar) Jack Lawrence (guitar) John Herald (guitar) Béla Fleck (banjo) Buddy Davis (bass) T. Michael Coleman (bass) Junior Huskey (bass) Roy Huskey Jr. (bass) Russ Savukus (bass) Eric Weissberg (bass) Pat McInerney (percussion) Alan O'Bryant (vocal/harmony)
Producer: Fred Jaspe, Liner Notes: Derek Halsey, Cover Illustration: Carrie Smith, Photographer: Peter Figen, Mastering: David Glasser
[Notes]
Arthel "Doc" Watson was nearly 40 years old and had been playing guitar and banjo most of his life when he was discovered as part of the folk music revival of the early '60s; Watson was a remarkably gifted instrumentalist who had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of traditional folk and country songs, and he became a cornerstone artist on the folk music scene, as he recorded and toured regularly until his death in 2012. A massive influence on such pickers as Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Clarence White, Watson left behind a massive body of work, and The Definitive Doc Watson is a two-disc set that brings together highlights from his recordings for Vanguard and Sugar Hill Records. While this means that a large portion of Watson's catalog is left unrepresented, Vanguard and Sugar Hill happen to be two of the labels with which Watson had the longest and most fruitful relationship, so this gives the set a broader focus than one might imagine. And while this set is a bit short of truly being "definitive" -- it would take a cross-licensed box set to truly fit that description -- there's plenty of great music here, and these 34 tracks show off Watson's warm, rich, unaffected vocals, superlative flat-picked guitar, and impressive banjo work to excellent advantage. A collection of essential songs performed by a master of the form, The Definitive Doc Watson is a fine introduction to a giant of American folk music, and a strong if somewhat limited sampler of his recording career. -- AllMusicReview by Mark Deming

September 11, 2021

There is No Eye: Music for Photographs

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40091
Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40091

Format: CD, HDCD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2001
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Blues, Folk, Gospel, Country Blues, Celtic
[Tracklist]
01 Thank You Lord: Gospel Church, Harlem (4:29)
02 If I Had My Way: Reverend Gary Davis (4:46)
03 Have You Ever Been Mistreated: Yvonne Hunter (1:39)
04 I Can't Be Satisfied: Muddy Waters (2:44)
05 Roll On John: Bob Dylan (3:26)
06 Man of Constant Sorrow: Roscoe Holcomb (2:59)
07 Hicks Farewell: Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton (4:31)
08 Come All You Tenderhearted: Carter Stanley (3:38)
09 Young But Growing: Mary Townsley (3:29)
10 TB Blues: Alice Gerrard and Hazel Dickens (3:29)
11 John Henry: Bill Monroe (1:34)
12 Sally Goodin: Eck Robertson (3:42)
13 Twin Sisters: Sidna Myers (0:57)
14 Sally Johnson: Wade Ward and Charlie Higgins (2:15)
15 Pull My Daisy: David Amram Quartet (4:33)
16 So Long: Go: Rufus Cohen and Wade Patterson (3:02)
17 Who'll Water My Flowers?: Last Forever (2:36)
18 Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie: Elizabeth Cotten (2:07)
19 Ramblin' Round: Woody Guthrie (2:17)
20 Love My Darling-O: Alan Lomax (1:56)
21 Buck Creek Girls: The New Lost City Ramblers (3:01)
22 Paloma Blanca: Huayno Stringband (2:20)
23 Kitchen Girl: Sweets Mill Band (The Arkansas Sheiks) (2:42)
[Credits]
Compiler, Producer, Liner Notes and Photographer: John Cohen, Coordinator: Mary Monseur, Designer: Visual Dialogue, Editor: Carla Borden, Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
In Music For Photographs, photographer, film maker, folklorist and musician John Cohen (of the New Lost City Ramblers) presents some of the finest American roots recordings ever made. On their own, these songs are authentic and captivating. Yet, they are only one half of a conceptual whole—Cohen has also released a book of photographs, There is No Eye, showcasing the musicians featured here as well as many others. Experienced together, the music and the photographs create new dimensions of possibility in our collective drive to understand and appreciate people's music. Includes unreleased music from Rev. Gary Davis and Bob Dylan, as well as classic tracks from Woody Guthrie, Roscoe Holcomb, Bill Monroe, Carter Stanley, Muddy Waters, and many more. 32-page booklet, exquisite photos, extensive notes, 68 minutes.

June 25, 2021

Classic Bluegrass Vol. 2 from Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40163
Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40163

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2005
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 Blue Grass Breakdown: David Johnson (3:12)
02 Roving Gambler: The Country Gentlemen (3:06)
03 Daniel Prayed: Doc Watson, Fred Price, and Clint Howard (2:53)
04 Fourteen-Carat Mind: Half & Half (2:28)
05 Won't You Come and Sing for Me?: Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard (2:45)
06 Rocky Run: Jerry Stuart, Pete Kuykendall, Smiley Hobbs, and Tom Gray (2:47)
07 The Girl Behind the Bar: Red Clay Ramblers (2:06)
08 Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me: B. Lilly, Chubby Anthony, Don Stover (2:16)
09 Are You Afraid to Die: Red Allen and Frank Wakefield (2:38)
10 Walls of Time: Bill Monroe and Peter Rowan (4:05)
11 Back Up and Push: The Friendly City Playboys (1:50)
12 I've Endured: Ola Belle Reed (2:48)
13 Carolina in the Pines: Harley Allen (2:42)
14 Jesse James: Eric Weissberg (2:30)
15 Two Orphans: The Georgia Pals (3:19)
16 China Grove, My Home Town: The Nashville Grass (2:31)
17 Bluegrass Spectacular: Bill Price (2:38)
18 Stoney Creek: Sonny Miller (1:22)
19 Little Maggie: Larry Richardson (1:13)
20 Miss Ferris: John Hartford (3:51)
21 Foggy Mountain Top: Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys (2:00)
22 Sinner, You Better Get Ready: The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (2:58)
23 Sitting on Top of the World: Doc Watson (3:05)
24 Renegade: Bob Everhart (1:59)
25 Possum Holler: Bill Price (2:58)
26 Red Wing: Tom Morgan (2:33)
27 I'll Take the Blame: Red Allen (2:21)
28 Watson's Blues: Bill Monroe and Doc Watson (2:26)
[Credits]
Producer: Lee Michael Demsey, Liner Notes: Jacob Love & Jeff Place, Designer: Sonya Cohen Cramer, Photographer: Stephanie P. Ledgin, Mastering Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
Compiled from over 40 years of classic bluegrass recordings on the Folkways and Smithsonian Folkways labels, Classic Bluegrass, vol. 2 showcases many of the key artists who shaped the sound of this internationally-acclaimed, all-American music. "Father of Bluegrass" Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Hazel Dickens, The Country Gentlemen, Red Allen, Frank Wakefield, John Hartford, and many others bring us the best of this diverse music tradition. 32-page booklet. 28 classic tracks. 73 minutes.

February 12, 2021

Doc Watson

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

April 17, 2020

Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings SFW-40235

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: May 29, 2020
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Tracklist]
01 Double File (1:26)
02 Handsome Molly (2:08)
03 He's Coming to Us Dead (2:50)
04 Corrina (2:26)
05 Brown's Dream (1:44)
06 Groundhog (Blind Lemon's version) (2:40)
07 My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains (2:30)
08 Bonaparte's Retreat (1:53)
09 Willie Moore (3:57)
10 The Blue Ridge Mountain Blues (2:58)
11 Goin' Back to Jericho (2:09)
12 Billy in the Low Ground (1:35)
13 Reuben's Train (2:37)
14 The Dream of the Miner's Child (3:23)
15 Groundhog (F.O.T.M. version) (2:09)
[Credits]
Doc Watson (guitar/vocals) Gaither Carlton (fiddle/banjo)
[Notes]
Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton is a new album of old-time music produced from archival recordings by two legendary musicians. These largely unheard tapes were recorded at Doc Watson's two earliest concerts, presented at Blind Lemon's, Greenwich Village, New York City on October 12th and 18th in 1962. Those shows were among the rare appearances Doc's father-in-law, fiddler Gaither Carlton, made outside of North Carolina. The instrumental pieces, including Gaither's signature tune "Double File," include intricate musical interactions developed through years of family music-making. On the songs and ballads, Doc's instantly recognizable baritone voice is accompanied by his own guitar and Gaither's fiddle, or by the traditional combination of fiddle and banjo. Shortly after these recordings were made, Doc Watson embarked on a career as one of America's premier acoustic guitarists, earning the National Medal of Arts and eight Grammy Awards.

March 3, 2020

Norman Blake & Tony Rice 2

Rounder Records CD-0266

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1990
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
01 It's Raining Here This Morning (3:37)
02 Lost Indian (3:06)
03 Georgie (2:49)
04 Father's Hall (2:17)
05 The Two Soldiers (4:35)
06 Blackberry Blossom (3:14)
07 Eight More Miles To Louisville (2:46)
08 Lincoln's Funeral Train (The Sad Journey To Springfield) (4:14)
09 Molly Bloom (2:39)
10 D-18 Song (Thank You, Mr. Martin) (3:58)
11 Back In Yonder's World (3:54)
12 Bright Days (2:14)
13 Salt Creek (3:10)
[Credits]
Norman Blake (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Tony Rice (guitar/vocals) Doc Watson (guitar) Nancy Blake (mandolin/cello/vocals) Mark Schatz (bass)
[Notes]
Norman Blake and Tony Rice 2 is an album by American guitarists Norman Blake and Tony Rice, released in 1990. It is their second album together. They previously released Blake & Rice in 1987. Doc Watson appears as a guest. Recorded at Bias Recording Co., Springfield, Virginia.

March 17, 2019

Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Capitol Records 7243-5-35148-2-2

Format: 2×CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
1-01 Grand Ole Opry Song (3:10)
1-02 Keep On The Sunny Side (4:26)
1-03 Nashville Blues (3:15)
1-04 You Are My Flower (3:39)
1-05 The Precious Jewel (4:09)
1-06 Dark As A Dungeon (2:47)
1-07 Tennessee Stud (4:50)
1-08 Black Mountain Rag (2:40)
1-09 Wreck On The Highway (3:25)
1-10 The End Of The World (3:54)
1-11 I Saw The Light (4:21)
1-12 Sunny Side Of The Mountain (2:50)
1-13 Nine Pound Hammer (2:53)
1-14 Losin' You (Might Be The Best Thing Yet) (2:49)
1-15 Honky Tonkin' (2:32)
1-16 You Don't Know My Mind (2:47)
1-17 My Walkin' Shoes (2:52)
2-01 Lonesome Fiddle Blues (2:43)
2-02 Cannonball Rag (1:16)
2-03 Avalanche (2:52)
2-04 Flint Hill Special (2:13)
2-05 Togary Mountain (2:28)
2-06 Earl's Breakdown (2:37)
2-07 Orange Blossom Special (2:12)
2-08 Wabash Cannonball (2:03)
2-09 Lost Highway (3:48)
2-10 Doc Watson & Merle Travis: First Meeting (Dialogue) (1:52)
2-11 Way Downtown (3:35)
2-12 Down Yonder (3:45)
2-13 Pins And Needles (In My Heart) (2:54)
2-14 Honky Tonk Blues (2:23)
2-15 Sailin' On To Hawaii (2:09)
2-16 I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes (4:26)
2-17 I Am A Pilgrim (3:54)
2-18 Wildwood Flower (3:33)
2-19 Soldier's Joy (3:33)
2-20 Will The Circle Be Unbroken (4:48)
2-21 Both Sides Now (2:25)
[Previously Unreleased Tracks]
2-22 Foggy Mountain Breakdown (2:39)
2-23 Warming Up For "The Opry" (Talk) (2:43)
2-24 Sunny Side (Talk) (4:06)
2-25 Remember Me (1:39)
[Credits]
Roy Acuff (vocals) Maybelle Carter (autoharp/guitar/vocals) Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Merle Travis (guitar/vocals) Earl Scruggs (banjo/guitar) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Bashful Brother Oswald, Norman Blake (dobro) Randy Scruggs (autoharp/guitar) Junior Husky, Ellis Padgett (bass) Chet Flippo, Martha Flippo, Ray Martin, Tim Martin, Alice McEuen, Larry Murray, Gary Scruggs, Louise Scruggs, Steve Scruggs, Betty Travis (background vocals) Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Bruce Hornsby, Béla Fleck, Roger McGuinn (guest artists) NGDB: Bob Carpenter (accordion/piano/vocals) Jimmie Fadden (drums/harmonica) Jeff Hanna (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Jimmy Ibbotson (mandolin/accordion/vocals) John McEuen (banjo)
[Notes]
Will the Circle be Unbroken is a 1972 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with collaboration from many famous bluegrass and country-western players, including Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Merle Travis, Pete "Oswald" Kirby, Norman Blake, Jimmy Martin, and others. It also introduced fiddler Vassar Clements to a wider audience.

March 6, 2019

Bill Monroe & Doc Watson: Live Duet Recordings 1963-1980

Smithsonian Folkways SF CD 40064

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 21 Aug 2012
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Country Blues
[Tracklist]
01 Foggy Mountain Top (2:46)
02 What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul (4:31)
03 Watson's Blues (2:28)
04 Soldier's Joy (2:47
05 Where Is My Sailor Boy? (What Does The Depp Sea Say?) (3:31)
06 You Won't Be Satisfied That Way (2:02)
07 Kentucky Mandolin (2:00)
08 East Tennessee Blues (2:12)
09 Midnight On The Stormy Deep (4:34)
10 Lonesome Moonlight Waltz (1:35)
11 Banks Of The Ohio (3:33)
12 Fire On The Mountain (1:49)
13 Chicken Reel (1:50)
14 Turkey In The Straw (1:10)
15 Memories Of You (3:11)
16 Have A Feast Here Tonight (Rabbit In A Log) (2:31)
17 Paddy On The Turnpike (2:35)
[Credits]
Bill Monroe (mandolin/vocals) Doc Watson (guotar/vocals)
Recorder and Liner Notes: Ralph Rinzler, Photographers: Peter Feldmann and Robert Yellin
[Notes]
The essential genius of Bill Monroe and Doc Watson resides in their ability to infuse traditional American music with their distinctive musical personalities. Their unparalleled vocal and instrumental skills complement one another on these rare, previously unreleased duets." chronicles the early meetings of two instrumental geniuses." — Billboard

October 10, 2018

The Greenwich Village Folk Scene

Not Now Music NOT3CD168

Format: 3×CD, Box Set, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: Oct 24, 2014
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Folk Revival
[Tracklist]
Disk One
101 Talkin' New York: Bob Dylan (3:20)
102 Willie Seton: Tom Paxton (2:51)
103 If I Had A Hammer: Peter, Paul & Mary (2:01)
104 House Of The Rising Sun: Joan Baez (2:57)
105 Yes I See: Bob Gibson (1:59)
106 John Hardy: Mike Seeger (2:42)
107 Where Have All The Flowers Gone?: The Kingston Trio (3:03)
108 Kisses Sweeter Than Wine: Pete Seeger (2:59)
109 Take This Hammer: The Tarriers (2:35)
110 Little Sadie: Doc Watson (2:19)
111 Nine Pound Hammer: The Brothers Four (2:48)
112 I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore: Ramblin' Jack Elliott (2:17)
113 Fannerio: Judy Collins (3:08)
114 Those Were The Days: The Limeliters (3:07)
115 Johnny With The Bandy Legs: The Highwaymen (3:18)
116 Down The Road: The Greenbriar Boys (2:00)
117 Jessie James: The Swagmen (2:21)
118 Cotton-Eyed Joe: Oscar Brand (1:34)
119 Lonesome Traveler: The Tarriers (1:54)
120 This Land Is Your Land: Woody Guthrie (2:18)
Disk Two
201 Turn! Turn! Turn!: Pete Seeger (3:13)
202 Nine Hundred Miles: The New Christy Minstrels (2:22)
203 Wildwood Flower: Joan Baez (2:36)
204 Early In The Morning: Peter, Paul & Mary (1:37)
205 Freight Train Blues: Bob Dylan (2:18)
206 Little Brown Dog: Judy Collins (3:15)
207 Daddy Roll 'Em: Bob Gibson (2:53)
208 Tom Dooley: The Kingston Trio (3:04)
209 Worried Blues: Mike Seeger (3:28)
210 Peg And Awl: Doc Watson & Clarence Ashley (2:13)
211 Sweet Water Rolling: The Limeliters (2:29)
212 Amelia Earhart's Last Flight: The Greenbriar Boys (3:43)
213 Greenfields: The Brothers Four (3:04)
214 Jack O'Diamonds: Ramblin' Jack Elliott (2:23)
215 New York Town: Woody Guthrie (2:38)
216 Whiskey In The Jar: The Highwaymen (2:45)
217 This Train: Peter, Paul & Mary (2:11)
218 Pretty Peggy-O: Bob Dylan (3:24)
219 Don't Let Your Deal Go Down: Mike Seeger (3:19)
220 My Dog's Bigger Than Your Dog: Tom Paxton (1:40)
Disk Three
301 Silver Dagger: Joan Baez (2:28)
302 Stream Of Whiskey: Doc Watson (2:09)
303 Highway 51: Bob Dylan (2:53)
304 Death Of John Henry: Ramblin' Jack Elliott (4:07)
305 Nobody Knows: The Brothers Four (2:59)
306 A Wayfaring Stranger: The Limeliters (3:09)
307 Sad And Lonesome Day: Mike Seeger (3:30)
308 Mean Talking Blues: Woody Guthrie (3:28)
309 Springhill Mine Disaster: Bob Gibson (2:04)
310 Lemon Tree: Peter, Paul & Mary (2:57)
311 Golden Apples Of The Sun: Judy Collins (3:52)
312 A Worried Man: The Kingston Trio (2:52)
313 Dona Dona Dona: The Chad Mitchell Trio (3:14)
314 Tough Luck: Doc Watson (2:27)
315 The Green Leaves Of Summer: The Brothers Four (2:57)
316 Everywhere I Look This Mornin': The Limeliters (2:03)
317 Careless Love: Joan Baez & Bill Wood (2:27)
318 The Water Is Wide: Carolyn Hester (3:44)
319 Baby, Let Me Follow You Down: Bob Dylan (2:36)
320 We Shall Overcome: Pete Seeger (4:51)
[Notes]
Folk music had been an integral part of American culture for decades. But the folk revival that flowered in the Coffee houses of New York’s Greenwich Village as the Fifties closed would inspire a new generation to pick up their acoustic guitars and play. To take yourself back to the halcyon days of Bob, Joanie and Tom Dooley, just press play on this superb 3 disc compilation.