Various Artists - Blue Ridge Mountains / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Stemming from a want to preserve the dwindling unique oral traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountain back-country region, Eric Davidson, Paul Newman and Caleb Finch performed field recordings of songs that exemplified the evolution of ballads in the region, creating an anthology of music that characterized the musical mountain traditions. Originating from folk music of the British Isles, many of the songs are performed with little or no instrumental accompaniment. These beautiful archaic folk melodies have retained their roots in the ballad and lament tradition, sung here by both men and women (traditionally ballads were sung only by women) with occasional lively banjo accompaniments. Album Tracks 1. The Hanging of Georgie (Child No. 209)- Sharp 34 2. Returning Sweetheart - Sharp 98 - a Pretty Fair Maid Down in the Garden - the Broken Token 3. Barbry Allen (Barbara Allen) 4. The Young Men and Maids - Sharp 165 - Silver Dagger 5. The Green Willow Tree - Child 286 - Sharp 41 - Golden Vanity 6. Ho Lilly Ho - Sharp 65 - Jack Went A-Sailing - Jack Munro 7. Walkin' in the Parlor 8. Little Sparrow - Sharp 118 - Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies 9. County Jail - Long Lonesome Road 10. Warfare Is A-Raging - Sharp 113 11. Pig in a Pen 12. Roving Ranger - Sharp 179 - Come All Ye Southern Soldiers - the Texas Rangers 13. Pretty Polly - Sharp 49 - the Cruel Ship's Carpenter 14. George Allen - Child 85 - Lady Alice - Sharp 25 - Giles Collins 15. Roving Gambler 16. Ten Thousand Miles - 10,000 Miles - Sharp 114 - the True Lover's Farewell 17. 1809 - Sharp 76 - Pretty Saro 18. Little Maggie 19. Death of the Lawson Family 20. Lonesome Day 21. Budded Roses - Little Bunch of Roses