There is a long standing tradition of family performers in folk music. Many of the classic old-time country bands such as the Carter Family were comprised of family members. Many traditional musicians learned by osmosis through attending dances and being lulled to sleep on a stack of coats or the bass case by the rhythm and melody of the tunes. This week and next we’ll be sampling some of these traditional family groups as well as a bunch of contemporary ones as we listen to music that’s All in the Family.

LISTEN:

Artist / “Title” / CD / Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” / Songs Of Hope And Struggle /
        Smithsonian-Folkways

Tony Ellis / “Rocky Road to Kansas” / Dixie Banner / Flying Fish
Watkins Family Hour / “Feelin’ Good Again” / Watkins Family Hour / Thirty
        Tigers
Nickel Creek / “Elephant in the Corm” / A Dotted Line / Nonesuch
Ry Cooder and Corridos Famosos / “Do Re Mi” / Live / Nonesuch
Don Santiago Jiminez / “El Satelite” / His First and Last Recordings /
        Arhoolie

Stan Rogers / “Yeastcake Jones” / For The Family / Folk Tradition
Garnet Rogers / “Under the Summer Moonlight” / Sparrow’s Wing / Snow Goose
Nathan Rogers / “Better Than Me” / The Gauntlet / Borealis
Tony Ellis / “Beaver Creek” / Dixie Banner / Flying Fish

The Carter Family / “You Are My Flower-Gathering Flowers from the Hillside” /
        On Border Radio-1939 Vol. 2 / Arhoolie
The Carter Family / “Railroading on the Great Divide” / The Acme Sessions /
        JSP
Sarah Carter Bayes & Maybelle Carter / “I’m Leaving You” / Close to Home /
        Smithsonian Folkways

Lauren Sheehan & Zoe Carpenter / “Roberta” / Tillamook Burn / Self Produced
Mavis Staples / “See That My Grave is Kept Clean” / Your Good Fortune / Anti
Pop Staples / “Gotta Serve Somebody” / Don’t Lose This / Anti

Pete Seeger / “If I Had a Hammer (excerpt)” / Songs of Hope and Struggle /
        Smithsonian Folkways