Smithsonian Folkways American Roots Collection

by AMERICAN ROOTS COLLECTION / VAR

Overview

This assemblage of blues, bluegrass, mountain ballads, topical songs, and jazz shows the wide range of American vernacular music, and Smithsonian Folkways' commitment to it. Among the many highlights here are Clarence Ashley and Doc Watson's ragged and yet sleek version of "The Coo Coo Bird," Doug Wallin's creaky and breathless a cappella version of "Pretty Saro," Lucinda Williams' Cajun two-step, "Lafayette," and a compelling take by Elizabeth Cotten of her signature song, "Freight Train." The New Lost City Ramblers bring their urban string band chops to a kinetic revitalization of "Old Joe Bone," while Michelle Lanchester (with Sweet Honey in the Rock) turns "I Was Standing By the Bedside of a Neighbor (If You See My Savior)" into a kind of gospel doo wop. Hearing the jazz piano of Mary Lou Williams on "Virgo" and "Syl-O-Gism" is another high point here. This fine disc works as a sampler for Smithsonian Folkways, but it also works as an enjoyably cohesive sequence on its own. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	06/18/1996
Label:	SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS
UPC:	0093074006221
Rank:	490134

Tracks

1. Penitentiary Blues  - Lightnin' Hopkins
2. Sweet Old Chicago  - E. Johnson  - Roosevelt Sykes
3. Blue Moon of Kentucky  -  Bluegrass Band  - Bill Monroe
4. If I Had a Hammer  - Lee Hays  - Pete Seeger
5. Lafayette  - Lucinda Williams
6. Bosco Stomp  - Rodney Balfa  - Bessyl Duhon  - Alli Young
7. Better Day  - Brownie McGhee  - Sonny Terry
8. Long Road to Travel  - Lonnie Johnson  - Bill Nettles
9. The Coo Coo Bird  - Clarence Ashley  -  Traditional  - Doc Watson
10. Pretty Saro  -  Traditional  - Doug Wallin
11. Freight Train  - Elizabeth Cotten
12. Old Joe Bone  -  New Lost City Ramblers
13. Have a Feast Here Tonight  - Bill Monroe  - Charlie Monroe  - Doc Watson
14. Freedom Road  - Emerson Harper  - Langston Hughes  - Josh White
15. This Land Is Your Land  - Woody Guthrie
16. Two Good Men  - Woody Guthrie
17. Where Did You Sleep Last Night?  -  Lead Belly  -  Traditional
18. Goodnight Irene  -  Lead Belly  - John A. Lomax
19. Somebody's Been Fooling #1  - Big Joe Williams
20. Hesitation Blues  - Gary Davis  - Dave Van Ronk
21. I'm Gonna Be an Engineer  - Peggy Seeger
22. Delgadina
23. I Was Standing by the Bedside of a Neighbor ( If You See My Saviour)  - Thomas A. Dorsey  - Michelle Lanchester  -  Sweet Honey in the Rock
24. Virgo  - Mary Lou Williams
25. Syl-O-Gism  - Larry Gales  - Mary Lou Williams
26. We Shall Overcome  - Dorothy Cotton  - Pete Seeger  -  Traditional

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rodney Balfa   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Elizabeth Cotten   Primary Artist
Josh White   Primary Artist
Peggy Seeger   Primary Artist
Alli Young   Primary Artist
Sonny Terry   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Sweet Honey in the Rock   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Bessyl Duhon   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Big Joe Williams   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Bill Monroe   Primary Artist,Vocals,Mandolin,Tenor (Vocal)
Lead Belly   Primary Artist
Clarence Ashley   Primary Artist
Lonnie Johnson   Primary Artist
Roosevelt Sykes   Primary Artist
Lucinda Williams   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Mary Lou Williams   Primary Artist,Piano
Dorothy Cotton   Primary Artist
Doug Wallin   Primary Artist
Doc Watson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Baritone
Pete Seeger   Primary Artist
The New Lost City Ramblers   Primary Artist
Michelle Lanchester   Primary Artist
Dave Van Ronk   Primary Artist
Woody Guthrie   Primary Artist
Brownie McGhee   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
The Bluegrass Band   Primary Artist
Lightnin' Hopkins   Primary Artist
Rex Bell   Vocal Harmony,Bass (Electric)
Rudy Lyle   Banjo
Chick Stripling   Bass
Mickey White   Guitar,Vocal Harmony,Guitar (Acoustic)
Tracy Schwarz   Fiddle
Bob Cranshaw   Bass
Bobby Hicks   Fiddle
Allison Young   Accordion
Ransom Knowling   Bass
Bessie Lee Mauldin   Bass
Andre Matthews   Slide Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Zita Carno   Piano
Toshi Reagon   Guitar
Gene Moore   Drums
Joe Stuart   Fiddle
John Cohen   Guitar,Vocals
Mickey Roker   Drums
Mike Seeger   Fiddle
Malcolm Smith   Viola,Fiddle
Al Lucas   Bass

Technical Credits

Lightnin' Hopkins   Composer,Performer
Josh White   Performer
Peggy Seeger   Composer,Performer
Lea Anne Sonenstein   Mastering
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Editing
Alli Young   Performer
Traditional   Composer
Sonny Terry   Performer
Sweet Honey in the Rock   Performer
Bessyl Duhon   Performer
Big Joe Williams   Composer,Performer
Bill Monroe   Composer,Performer
Bill Nettles   Composer
Allison Young   Performer
Langston Hughes   Composer
Lead Belly   Composer,Performer
Clarence Ashley   Performer
Emerson Harper   Composer
Pete Reiniger   Coordination,Technical Coordinator
Lonnie Johnson   Performer
Roosevelt Sykes   Performer
Rodney Balfa   Performer
Lucinda Williams   Composer,Performer
Mary Lou Williams   Composer,Performer
Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey   Composer
E. Johnson   Composer
Michael Maloney   Production Coordination
Doug Wallin   Arranger,Performer
Doc Watson   Performer
John A. Lomax   Composer
Pete Seeger   Composer,Performer
The New Lost City Ramblers   Performer
Ralph Rinzler   Photography
Rev. Gary Davis   Composer
Dave Van Ronk   Performer
Woody Guthrie   Composer,Performer
Anthony Seeger   Producer
Brownie McGhee   Performer
Amy Horowitz   Producer
David Glasser   Mastering
Larry Gales   Composer
Elizabeth Cotten   Composer,Performer
Charlie Monroe   Composer
Jeff Place   Editing
Lee Hays   Composer