Young Hunting (Henry Lee, Love Henry)
This week’s installment focuses on another American contribution to the genre, in the sense that “Henry Lee,” or “Love Henry,” is an Americanized take on an old ballad called “Young Hunting” (Child Ballad No. 68). The ballad tells … Continue reading →
No Ballad for Nancy and Henry
View From Max Patch, North Carolina – by Jeff Pitman (Prints available here) Ken’s post about Omie’s surviving children gave rise to something in me that popped out as this little poem. Nothing about what they must have gone through made … Continue reading →
The People’s Music Network Winter Gathering, Jan 27-29
The People’s Music Network Winter Gathering is a musical event that is not to be missed! This national organization is joining the Lawrence, MA, Community in its celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Bread & Roses Strike. With the … Continue reading →
“Omie Wise” at the Movies
Here is Dylan Tuccillo’s award-winning short film, “Omie Wise — A Folktale.” It presents another contribution to the legend, I suppose, with a modern, if not entirely realistic setting. I’ll keep my thoughts, when I add them, to the comments … Continue reading →
Firm Foundations
“Omie Wise” has been with us a long time, and been “folk processed” in a number of different directions. That it is still with us is evidence of its power to move and affect the singer and the listener. That … Continue reading →
Seeking resolution
Elvis Costello appeared five or six years ago as part of “The Harry Smith Project,” a musical renewal of the songs collected by Smith in the Anthology of American Folk Music, providing his proposed resolution of the Omie Wise tale. … Continue reading →
SiriusXM’s “The Village” now web-only
SiriusXM satellite radio broadcasting company announced that its folk/trad music station “The Village” will no longer be broadcast via satellite and will be available only through their web-based client and mobile app. Listeners will still be required to purchase premium … Continue reading →
Who writes “The Ballad of Nancy and Henry”?
Harry Smith’s Anthology incorporated his somewhat idiosyncratic, news-brief style summaries for the songs he included. The brief on “Ommie Wise” reads as follows: GREEDY GIRL GOES TO ADAMS SPRING WITH LIAR; LIVES JUST LONG ENOUGH TO REGRET IT … Continue reading →
Omie Wise
This week’s installment is a decidedly American contribution to the genre, and one not completely shrouded in the mists of history, but only partly so. The events of “Omie Wise” can be pinned down to a known historical event—the drowning … Continue reading →