ALMEDA RIDDLE /

 'POOR WAYFARING STRANGER'
 - FROM 'THE ALAN LOMAX COLLECTION: SOUTHERN JOURNEY VOL.I - VOICES OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH'

IN THE MID-30'S A YOUNG ALAN LOMAX ACCOMPANIED HIS FATHER ON A SERIES OF FIELD RECORDINGS DOCUMENTING THE FOLK MUSIC OF RURAL AMERICA FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.  I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THE ALBUM ABOVE WHILE SATING MY CURRENT OBSESSION WITH SACRED HARP MUSIC (HE WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO PRODUCE THE FINEST EARLY RECORDINGS OF GROUP SINGINGS), AND I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS ONE.  THE REST OF THE ALBUM HAS MUCH OF THE SAME ROUGH-AND-READY FEEL OF FIELD RECORDING, BUT CAPTURES PERFECTLY THE HUMANITY, HUMOUR AND PATHOS IN THE VOICES OF A SOUTHERN PEOPLES WOUNDED BY THE GREAT DEPRESSION - AND YET STILL FINDING A WAY TO SURVIVE IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING. 




 MEANWHILE...


A COUPLE OF GREAT RECORDINGS OF TWO OF MY FAVOURITE SACRED HARP TUNES COURTESY OF A FLOURISHING SHAPE-NOTE COMMUNITY IN CORK, IRELAND: