Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways

by CLASSIC RAILROAD SONGS FROM SMI

Overview

Smithsonian Folkways ninth installment of its popular Classic Series chronicles the golden age of the American railroad. Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways picks up where 2004's Classic Maritime Music collection left off, unearthing previously unheard of gems from their archives along with classics from some of the genre's finest practitioners. Twenty-one of these remarkable folk songs, field recordings, tall tales, and work songs appear on CD for the first time, from the crisp a cappella "F.F.V.," performed by Annie Watson (mother of Doc Watson), to Cisco Houston's rousing "Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill" from his 1968 Sings American Folk Songs anthology. Compiled by Grammy Winner Jeff Place, Classic Railroad Songs is enriched by rare photos from the Library of Congress and there are detailed liner notes for each and every one of the 29 cuts which provide a glimpse into the hobo lifestyle of legendary characters like Harry McClintock, Leadbelly, and Furry Lewis -- the latter lost a leg in 1917 in a railway accident. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	01/10/2006
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074019221
Rank:	39244

Tracks

1. Rail Dynamics (Excerpt)  - Emory Cook
2. Train 45  -  New Lost City Ramblers
3. Kassie Jones  - Furry Lewis
4. Jay Gould's Daughter  - Pete Seeger
5. Railroad Bill  - Walt Robertson
6. Linin' Track  -  Lead Belly
7. Freight Train  - Elizabeth Cotten
8. Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill  - Cisco Houston
9. Zack, The Mormon Engineer  - L.M. Hilton
10. Lost Train Blues  -  Virginia Mountain Boys
11. The F.F.V.  - Annie Watson
12. He's Coming to Us Dead  -  Davis  -  New Lost City Ramblers
13. The Train That Carried My Girl from Town  - Doc Watson
14. Rock Island Line  -  Lead Belly
15. Lonesome Train  - Woody Guthrie  - Cisco Houston  - Sonny Terry
16. John Henry  - Woody Guthrie  - Cisco Houston
17. The Wreck of the Number Nine  - Carson Robison  - Rosalie Sorrels
18. Freight Train Blues  - Thomas A. Dorsey  - Brownie McGhee
19. The New Market Wreck  - Mike Seeger
20. Jerry, Go and Oil That Car  - Harry McClintock
21. Way Out in Idaho  - Rosalie Sorrels
22. Old John Henry Died on the Mountain  -  Terrell
23. Casey Jones  -  Mounce  - Eddie Newton
24. Wreck of the Old 97  -  Stoneman
25. Midnight Special  -  Lead Belly
26. Wabash Cannonball  - Doc Watson
27. Lost Train Blues  -  Sutphin
28. New River Train  -  Iron Mountain String Band
29. Three Little Engines and 33 Cars (Excerpt)  - Vinton Wight

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Emory Cook   Primary Artist
Vinton Wight   Primary Artist
Harry McClintock   Primary Artist
Annie Watson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Vernon L. Sutphin   Primary Artist,Harmonica
L.M. Hilton   Primary Artist
Walt Robertson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Doc Watson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica
Pete Seeger   Primary Artist,Banjo,Vocals
Pop Stoneman   Primary Artist
The New Lost City Ramblers   Primary Artist
Rosalie Sorrels   Primary Artist,Vocals
Brownie McGhee   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Iron Mountain String Band   Primary Artist
Virginia Mountain Boys   Primary Artist
Sonny Terry   Primary Artist,Yells,Harmonica
Cisco Houston   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Lead Belly   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Furry Lewis   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Henry Grady Terrell   Primary Artist,Vocals,Percussion
John D. Mounce   Primary Artist,Harmonica
Mike Seeger   Primary Artist,Banjo,Guitar,Vocals,Autoharp
Woody Guthrie   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar
Elizabeth Cotten   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Glen Neaves   Fiddle
Eric Davidson   Banjo,Vocals
Ivor Melton   Mandolin
John Cohen   Banjo,Guitar
Marvin Cockram   Bass
Caleb Finch   Fiddle
Tracy Schwarz   Fiddle,Guitar,Vocals
Bobby Harrison   Guitar

Technical Credits

Jeff Place   Compilation Producer,Annotation
Elizabeth Cotten   Composer
Carson Robison   Composer
Russ Lee   Photo Archivist
Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey   Composer
John Vachon   Photo Archivist
Gussie Davis   Composer
Jack Manischewitz   Production Assistant
Doc Watson   Arranger
Pete Reiniger   Mastering
Huddie Ledbetter   Arranger
D.A. Sonneborn   Production Supervisor
Jacob Love   Editorial Assistant
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Editing
Jack Delano   Photo Archivist
Stephanie Smith   Archivist
Eddie Newton   Composer
Furry Lewis   Composer
Ronnie Simpkins   Audio Supervisor
A.P. Carter   Arranger