DOCUMENT RESUME ED 277 618 SO 017 762 TITLE American Folk Music and Folklore Recordings 1985: A Selected List. INSTITUTION Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. American Folklife Center. PUB DATE 86 NOTE 17p.; For the recordings lists for 1984 and 1983, see ED 271 353-354. Photographs may not reproduce clearly. AVAILABLE FROM Selected List, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540. PUB TYPE Reference Materials - Bibliographies (131) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Annotated Bibliographies; *Black Culture; *Folk Culture; *Jazz; *Modernism; *Music; Popular Culture ABSTRACT Thirty outstanding records and tapes of traditional music and folklore which were released in 1985 are described in this illustrated booklet. All of these recordings are annotated with liner notes or accompanying booklets relating the recordings to the performers, their communities, genres, styles, or other pertinent information. The items are conveniently available in the United States and emphasize "root traditions" over popular adaptations of traditional materials. Also included is information about sources for folk records and tapes, publications which list and review traditional music recordings, and relevant Library of Congress Catalog card numbers. (BZ) U.111. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office or Educao onal Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document hes been reproduced u received from the person or o•panizahon originating it Minor changes nave been made to improve reproduction ought) Points of view or opinions stated in this docu mint do not necessarily represent Olhcrai OERI posrtio.r or policy AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC AND FOLKLORE RECORDINGS 1985 A SELECTED LIST Selection Panel Thomas A. Adler University of Kentucky; Record Review Editor, Western Folklore Ethel Raim Director, Ethnic Folk Arts Center Don L. Roberts Head Music Librarian, Northwestern University Jeff Todd Titon Tufts University Charles K. Wolfe University of Tennessee; Secretary-Editor, Tennessee Folklore Society Michael Licht Project Coordinator American Folkiife Center Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 20540 1986 INTRODUCTION The Library of Congress first drew public atten- tion to interesting commercial recordings of tradi- tional American music in 1939, when Alan Lomax of the Archive of American Folk-Song (today's Ar- chive of Folk Culture) published a list of commer- cially produced 78-rpm records. The annotated list was prepared "in order that the interested musician or student of American society may explore this unknown body of Americana with readiness." The same goal underlies the American Folklife Center's publication of this third annual list of quality records and audio tapes of traditional American folk music and folklore. The list is not comprehensive, but is intended to provide a short, usable guide to important audio resources for educators, librarians, and all those who enjoy America's grassroots music and spoken arts. A panel of distinguished experts selected the thirty recordings listed here from among two hun- dred titles submitted by producers, suggested by folklorists and ethnomusicologists, and proposed by Center staff. In keeping with guidelines established three years ago, we required that all entries: be released in 1985; feature cultural traditions found within the United States; emphasize "root traditions" over popular adapta- tions of traditional materials; be conveniently available to American purchasers; and be well annotated with liner notes or accom- panying booklets relating the recordings to the per- formers, their communities, genres, styles, or other pertinent information. The American Folklife Center hopes that publica- tion of this list will stimulate an increase in the number of new, high-quality documentary folk recordings, leading ultimately to increased support and encouragement for those performers who preserve our country's folk heritage. The en- thusiasm with which the first two editions of this publication were received, and the marked increase in the number and quality of the recordings submit- ted, leads us to believe that these aims are being served. The annotated entries below are followed by in- formation about sources for these and other folk records and tapes, as well as other publications which list and review traditional music recordings. Library of Congress catalog card numbers are in- cluded for the convenience of librarians and should not be used when ordering recordings. We hope that future editions of this list will include more recordings of folktales and other traditional spoken arts, a wider range of America's ethnic and regional traditions, and more records and tapes of American folk music issued abroad and distributed in the United States. To suggest suitable 1986 releases for consideration by next year's panel, or to obtain ad- ditional copies of this publication, please write to: Annual Recordings List, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540. AFRO-AMERICAN Ma Rainey; Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Yazoo 1071. LP. "Classic" blues record- ings, 1924-1928, by vocalist Gertrude Pridgett Rainey (1886-1938), vaudeville singer and "race" recording artist. These historic record- ings, produced by black recording executive J. Mayo Williams, feature several of Lightning Hopkins; "Ma" Rainey's original Houston's King of the songs, some traditional Blues, Historic Recordings material, and songs written 1952-1953. Blues Classics for her. Accompaniment 30. LP. Reissues of historic ranges from "downhome"- recordings by influential style guitar and piano to jazz singer-guitarist Sam bands. Jacket notes by "Lightning" Hopkins Stephen Calt. LCCN (1912-1982), made before 86-743171. Free Hill; A Sound Por- his rediscovery by the inter- trait of a Rural Afro- national blues revival of the American Community. 1960s. Jacket notes by Chris Tennessee Folklore Society Strachwitz. LCCN TFS-107. LP. Field record- 86-743150. ings made in 1983 in Free Hill, Clay County, Ten- New Orleans Gospel nessee, a rural community Quartets 1947-1956. LP. originally settled by freed Heritage HT 306. Record- slaves before the Civil War. ings by quartet-style gospel This "folk history" groups based in New documents "historical Orleans, Louisiana made events, local characters, after World War I1. Vocal night rider incidents, blues- harmonies recorded a cap- style songs, and sacred songs pella and with piano or and speech" through tape- guitar accompaniment. In- recorded interviews, songs, cludes four previously and church services. Record- unissued recordings. Sleeve ed by Elizabeth Peterson, notes by Lynn Abbott; Tom Rankin, Bobby photos. LCCN 86-743158. Fulcher, and Brent Cantrell. A 19-page booklet by Peter- son and Rankin includes historical and biographical notes, along with transcrip- tions of interviews, song lyrics, and church services. Bibliogrrphical notes; photos. LCCN 86-743170. ANGLO-AMERICAN Dee and Delta Hicks; Ballads and Banjo Music from the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau. County 789. LP. Unaccom- panied ballads, songs with banjo, and two banjo tunes by Dee and Delta Hicks of Fentress County, Tennessee. Dee and his wife Delta, though known to their Louie Bluie. Arhoolie neighbors as heirs of a vast 1095. LP. Black string band musical legacy, have only music; soundtrack from the come to the attention of the filmed biography of world outside their com- Tennessee-born fiddler munity in the last decade. Howard Armstrong (born Almeda Riddle; How Recorded by Barry Poss and 1909), accompanied by Firm a Foundation. Arkan- Bobby Fulcher in the late guitarist Ted Bogan, son sas Traditions 003. LP; 1970s. Jacket notes by Tommy Armstrong on string cassette. Unaccompanied Fulcher; 10-page booklet by bass, and others. Jacket sacred songs and hymns by Fulcher includes historical notes by Marty Pahls Almeda James Riddle (born and biographical notes, in- 1898) of Greers Ferry, describe Armstrong's terview excerpts, map, and Arkansas. Primarily known odyssey from the fish fries photos. LCCN 86-743152. and medicine shows of Ten- for her extensive repertory of nessee to Depression-era traditional American ballads, Chicago. They highlight the these recordings document "Granny" Riddle's store of variety of his music, which religious music learned from includes blues, ragtime, gospel, country, Tin Pan her father, a shape note Alley, Polish, and German singing school teacher, and from local Free Will and tunes and songs. LANGUAGE ADVISORY: Primitive Baptist congrega- "Darktown Strutter's Ball" tions. Jacket notes by W. K. (A8) contains obscenity. McNeil and George West; LCCN 86-743145. 8-page booklet of historical and biographical notes by McNeil includes complete lyrics and photos. Recorded by Gene Dunaway and Aubrey Richardson. LCCN 86-743148. Uncle Charlie Osborne; Relics & Treasure. June Appal JA049. LP. Fiddle tunes and singing of Charlie Nelson Osborne (born 1890) from Russell City, Virginia. Accompanied by his son Johnny Cowan Osborne on banjo and guitarist Tommy Bledsoe. A 14-nage booklet/poster by Richard Seems Like Romance to Blaustein, Bledsoe, Charles Me; Traditional Fiddle Wolfe, Charles Seeman, and Tunes from Ohio. Gambier Douglas Dorschug includes Folklore Society GFS 901. historical and biographical LP. Field recordings, notes, lyrics, and photos. 1983-1984, of nine tradi- LCCN 86-743159. Great Big Yam Potatoes; tional Ohio fiddlers by Jeff Anglo-American Fiddle Goehring and Howard Music from Mississippi. Sacks. Liner notes and Mississippi Department