Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 1-3

( 9 )

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - John Bush
Originally released in 1952 as a quasi-legal set of three double LPs and reissued several times since with varying cover art, Anthology of American Folk Music could well be the most influential document of the '50s folk revival. Many of the recordings that appeared on it had languished in obscurity for 20 years, and it proved a revelation to a new group of folkies, from Pete Seeger to John Fahey to Bob Dylan. The man that made the Anthology possible was Harry Smith, a notoriously eccentric musicologist who compiled 84 of his favorite hillbilly, gospel, blues, and Cajun performances from the late '20s and early '30s, dividing each into one of three categories: Ballads, Social ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - John Bush
Originally released in 1952 as a quasi-legal set of three double LPs and reissued several times since with varying cover art, Anthology of American Folk Music could well be the most influential document of the '50s folk revival. Many of the recordings that appeared on it had languished in obscurity for 20 years, and it proved a revelation to a new group of folkies, from Pete Seeger to John Fahey to Bob Dylan. The man that made the Anthology possible was Harry Smith, a notoriously eccentric musicologist who compiled 84 of his favorite hillbilly, gospel, blues, and Cajun performances from the late '20s and early '30s, dividing each into one of three categories: Ballads, Social Music, and Songs. Smith sequenced the three volumes with a great amount of care, placing songs on the Ballads volume in historical order not to be confused with chronological order so as to create an LP that traces the folk tradition, beginning with some of the earliest Childe ballads of the British Isles and ending with several story songs of the early 20th century. The cast of artists includes pioneers in several fields, from the Carter Family and Uncle Dave Macon to Blind Lemon Jefferson, Mississippi John Hurt, and the Alabama Sacred Harp Singers. Many of the most interesting selections on the Anthology, however, are taken from artists even more obscure, such as Clarence Ashley, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, and Buell Kazee. After the Anthology had been out of print for more than a decade, Smithsonian/Folkways reissued the set in a six-disc boxed set, with the original notes of Harry Smith, as well as a separate book of new reminiscences by artists influenced by the original and a wealth of material for use in CD-ROM drives.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 8/19/1997
  • Label: Smithsonian Folkways
  • UPC: 093074009024
  • Catalog Number: 40090
  • Sales rank: 30,566

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Henry Lee (3:26)
  2. 2 Fatal Flower Garden (2:55)
  3. 3 The House Carpenter - Clarence Ashley (3:14)
  4. 4 Drunkard's Special (3:16)
  5. 5 Old Lady And The Devil (3:02)
  6. 6 The Butcher's Boy (The Railroad Boy) (3:02)
  7. 7 The Wagoner's Lad (3:02)
  8. 8 King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O (3:08)
  9. 9 Old Shoes And Leggins (2:59)
  10. 10 Willie Moore (3:13)
  11. 11 A Lazy Farmer Boy (2:57)
  12. 12 Peg and Awl - The Carolina Tar Heels (2:57)
  13. 13 Omie Wise (3:09)
  14. 14 My Name Is John Johanna (3:12)
Disc 2
  1. 1 Bandit Cole Younger (2:54)
  2. 2 Charles Giteaux (3:03)
  3. 3 John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man (2:55)
  4. 4 Gonna Die With My Hammer In My Hand (3:24)
  5. 5 Stackalee (2:58)
  6. 6 White House Blues (3:31)
  7. 7 Frankie (3:25)
  8. 8 When That Great Ship Went Down - William Smith (2:55)
  9. 9 Engine 143 (3:16)
  10. 10 Kassie Jones (6:13)
  11. 11 Down On Penny's Farm (2:47)
  12. 12 Mississippi Boweavil Blues (3:07)
  13. 13 Got The Farm Land Blues - The Carolina Tar Heels (3:16)
Disc 3
  1. 1 Sail Away Ladies (2:56)
  2. 2 The Wild Wagoner (3:14)
  3. 3 Wake Up Jacob (2:52)
  4. 4 La Danseuse (2:54)
  5. 5 Georgia Stomp - Andrew & Jim Baxter (2:44)
  6. 6 Brilliancy Medley (2:59)
  7. 7 Indian War Whoop (3:10)
  8. 8 Old Country Stomp (2:52)
  9. 9 Old Dog Blue (3:01)
  10. 10 Saut' Crapaud (2:47)
  11. 11 Arcadian One-Step (2:57)
  12. 12 Home Sweet Home (3:00)
  13. 13 Newport Blues (2:55)
  14. 14 Moonshiner's Dance (Pt. 1) (2:39)
Disc 4
  1. 1 You Must Be Born Again (1:28)
  2. 2 Oh Death, Where Is Thy Sting (1:26)
  3. 3 Rocky Road (2:42)
  4. 4 Present Joys (2:50)
  5. 5 This Song of Love (2:56)
  6. 6 Judgement (2:23)
  7. 7 He Got Better Things for You (2:52)
  8. 8 Since I Laid My Burden Down - Edwards' Sanctified Singers (3:16)
  9. 9 John the Baptist (3:02)
  10. 10 Dry Bones (2:58)
  11. 11 John the Revelator (3:18)
  12. 12 Little Moses (3:11)
  13. 13 Shine on Me (3:01)
  14. 14 Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room - Rev. F.W. McGee (2:40)
  15. 15 I'm in the Battlefield for My Lord (3:19)
Disc 5
  1. 1 The Cuckoo - Clarence Ashley (2:54)
  2. 2 East Virginia (2:58)
  3. 3 Minglewood Blues (3:05)
  4. 4 I Woke Up One Morning In May (3:01)
  5. 5 James Alley Blues (3:05)
  6. 6 Sugar Baby (2:56)
  7. 7 I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground (3:19)
  8. 8 The Mountaineer's Courtship (2:42)
  9. 9 The Spanish Merchant's Daughter - The Stonemans (3:15)
  10. 10 Bob Lee Junior Blues (3:08)
  11. 11 Single Girl, Married Girl (2:44)
  12. 12 Le Vieux Soulard Et Sa Femme (3:08)
  13. 13 Rabbit Foot Blues (2:55)
  14. 14 Expressman Blues (3:01)
Disc 6
  1. 1 Poor Boy Blues (2:22)
  2. 2 Feather Bed (3:13)
  3. 3 Country Blues (2:56)
  4. 4 99 Years Blues (3:04)
  5. 5 Prison Cell Blues (2:44)
  6. 6 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (2:52)
  7. 7 C'est Si Triste Sans Lui (2:59)
  8. 8 Way Down The Old Plank Road (2:58)
  9. 9 Buddy Won't You Roll Down The Line (3:15)
  10. 10 Spike Driver Blues (3:14)
  11. 11 K.C. Moan (2:31)
  12. 12 Train On The Island (2:57)
  13. 13 The Lone Star Trail (3:12)
  14. 14 Fishin' Blues (2:44)
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Cannon's Jug Stompers Track Performer
Sleepy John Estes Guitar, Track Performer
Mississippi John Hurt Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Jim Jackson Guitar, Vocals
Blind Lemon Jefferson Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Blind Willie Johnson Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Furry Lewis Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Memphis Jug Band Track Performer
Charley Patton Guitar, Vocals
Henry Thomas Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer, Quills
The Carter Family Track Performer
Uncle Dave Macon Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Rev. D.C. Rice Vocals
Masked Marvels Track Performer
Dock Boggs Banjo, Vocals
Buell Kazee Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Gus Cannon Banjo, Vocals, Jug
Ernest V. Stoneman Harmonica, Track Performer
Sam McGee Guitar
North Carolina Ramblers Track Performer
Ramblin' Thomas Vocals, Track Performer, Bottleneck Guitar
Elijah Avery Guitar
Tewee Blackman Guitar, Vocals
Cleoma Breaux Track Performer
Richard Rabbit Brown Track Performer
Charlie Burse Guitar
A.P. Carter Vocals
Sara Carter Autoharp, Vocals
Joseph Falcon Track Performer
Roy Harvey Guitar
Frank Hutchison Track Performer
Bessie Johnson Tambourine, Vocals
Coley Jones Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Jab Jones Piano, Jug
Noah Lewis Harmonica
The Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers Bass, Vocals
Clarence Nelson Vocals
Rev. Sister Mary M. Nelson Track Performer
Charlie Poole Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Yank Rachell Mandolin, Vocals
Ben Ramey Kazoo, Vocals
Will Shade Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Versey Smith Tambourine, Vocals, Track Performer
Vol Stevens Banjo, Mandolin
Sally Sumler Vocals
Ashley Thompson Guitar, Vocals
Will Weldon Guitar
Clifford Breaux Guitar, Vocals
Ophy Breaux Fiddle, Vocals, Track Performer
Buster Carter Track Performer
Posey Rorer Fiddle
Preston Young Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
The Carolina Tar Heels Track Performer
Uncle Eck Dunford Fiddle, Vocals, Track Performer
Garley Foster Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
G.B. Grayson Fiddle, Vocals, Track Performer
Kelly Harrell Vocals, Track Performer
Bascom Lamar Lunsford Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Ken Maynard Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Bill Reed Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Eck Robertson Track Performer
Leonard Rutherford Fiddle, Track Performer
Hoyt Ming and His Pep Steppers Track Performer
Reverend J.M. Gates Track Performer
Andrew Baxter Fiddle, Track Performer
Cleoma Breaux Falcon Guitar, Vocals
Alabama Sacred Harp Singers Vocals, Track Performer
Rev. Moses Mason Track Performer
Dick Justice Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
James Touchstone Guitar, Vocals
The Bently Boys Track Performer
Julius Daniels Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Angeline Johnson Vocals
Joseph Alfred Stegall Guitar
Arnold Williamson Fiddle, Vocals
Curry Track Performer
Clarence Ashley Banjo, Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
Columbus Frugé Track Performer
Victoria Cafe Orchestra Track Performer
The Williamson Brothers Track Performer
Richard Burnett Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Nelstone's Hawaiians Track Performer
Bill & Belle Reed Track Performer
Chubby Parker Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Edward L. Crain Track Performer
Uncle Bunt Stephens Track Performer
Jilson Setters Track Performer
Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers Fiddle
Delma Lachney Fiddle, Track Performer
Blind Uncle Gaspard Track Performer
The Breaux Fréres Track Performer
Cincinnati Jug Band Track Performer
Frank Cloutier Track Performer
Memphis Sanctified Singers Track Performer
Ernest Phipps Vocals
Didier Hébert Guitar, Vocals, Track Performer
J.P. Nestor Banjo, Vocals, Track Performer
Andrew & Jim Baxter Track Performer
Hattie Stoneman Track Performer
Rev. D.C. Rice & His Sanctified Congregation Track Performer
Middle Georgia Singing Convention Track Performer
The Stonemans Track Performer
Norman Edmonds Fiddle
Rev. F.W. McGee Track Performer
William Smith Track Performer
Technical Credits
Bill Monroe Composer
Peter Stampfel Liner Notes
Dock Boggs Composer
Eric Von Schmidt Liner Notes
Richard Brown Composer
Rusty Goodman Composer
John Fahey Liner Notes
Moses Asch Liner Notes
David Glasser Mastering
Charlie Parker Composer
Charlie Pilzer Mastering
Jeff Place Liner Notes, Reissue Producer, Annotation
Yank Rachell Composer
Will Shade Composer
Greil Marcus Liner Notes
Uncle Eck Dunford Composer
Pete Reiniger Mastering
Eck Robertson Composer
Neil V. Rosenberg Liner Notes
Michael Maloney Producer
Mary Monseur Producer
Kip Lornell Liner Notes
Amy Horowitz Executive Producer, Reissue Producer
Philip Coady Producer
Evelyn Esaki Art Direction
Steve Moreland Producer
Scott Stowell Art Direction
Harry Smith Producer
Luc Santé Liner Notes
Jennie Mae Clayton Composer
Jilson Setters Composer
Traditional Composer
Jon Pankake Liner Notes
Luis Kemnitzer Liner Notes
Chuck Pirtle Liner Notes
Jim Baxter Composer
Gus Cannon & His Jug Stompers Composer
Willard Thomas Composer
Rev. D. C. Rice Composer
Ernest Phillips Composer
Clayton Shade Composer
T. Roberts Composer
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 9 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(6)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

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2 Star

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1 Star

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Sort by: Showing all of 9 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    This is one of the most amazing collections I've ever even seen!

    I am a lover of American (and World) Folk, Bluegrass and Cultural Music. This collection showcases the full range of American Folk music, and is so applicable to anyone desiring a great variety of genuine, artifactual, and pertinent music celebrating the genre. It's a little "back woods" and a little "bluesy". It's a little "sing a longy" and a little "rocky". This collection is absolutely perfect to fill a large part of every one of your days with exactly what you're looking for in a collection that does and has what it says. I enjoy having this as part of my collection.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    David Wheeler=Idiot

    How dare you, Mr. Wheeler, clutter up this site with your profound ignorance. Were it not for these recordings there would be no Simon & Garfunkel, Peter Paul & Mary, etc. You indeed fit the definition of the north end of a southbound horse.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The roots

    Reviewer Wheeler must not know the history and did not read the album info. This famous anthology came out in the 50's chronicling the recorded folk music in America from the 20's, 30's,etc. It was sort of the bible for the aspiring folk artists of the 1960s. It's influence was immense. The imagery, the history, the biblical and mythic references, these "simple" songs are complicated art -- a kind of impact esily heard in the work of Dylan, Ochs, and the other "folk" artists from Greenwich Village. Because the Smithsonian bought up the Folkways archives, these and other "folk" recordings are available again. Rolling Stone rated it 5 stars. Although I don't always agree with RS, I too rate this 5 stars.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    how?

    A "anthology of american folk mmusic" how dare thay call this a anithology, not "one" bob dylan, woody guththry, peter,paul,and mary,simon & garfunkle.Woddy jr. Tom harden no,no,no,no,noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!"

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The beginnings

    The reviewer David Wheeler doesn't quite get it . . . THESE are the songs that influenced Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel and all the rest. This is the place to begin, and Harry Smith had the foresight to save these gems, setting them before us.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    the originals!

    These have passed in and out of publication over the years. Once available only to the collector and library pirate, they're back for you to inspire a new generation with. America's contribution to world culture is the melange of folk music that came together between the wars. Drink deep. This is where it all came from.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 29, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 16, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 6, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 9 Customer Reviews