âDavid âStringbeanâ Akemanâ (image from Dirk aka Dave Kelly, via myspace) Murder in Music City Although the story behind this weekâs song, âThe Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle,â is forty years old, itâs in the minority of songs among our … Continue reading →
Introduction Our first post this week dealt with the lyrics and the provenance, as well as we can know it, of the ballad âWillie Moore.â Â If youâre looking for information and discussion along those lines, I encourage you to click … Continue reading →
Sing Out! provides an international listing of folk music festivals and camps, which can be found at www.singout.org/fests.html. Our listing is currently updated to feature festivals throughout the summer. Before making summer road trips, camping excursions, etc., be sure to … Continue reading →
Leonard Rutherford (fiddle) and Dick Burnett (banjo) â Theirs is the earliest known recording of âWillie Mooreâ Introduction One thing I find about murder ballads in my own life is that I often remember the first time and place I … Continue reading →
Bluegrass singer and banjo player Ralph Stanley has announced that he plans to retire in December of 2014. Now age 86, âDr. Ralph Stanleyâ has had a storied career with tremendous achievements, including inventing his own banjo playing style, winning … Continue reading →
Before most people blow out the candles on their birthday cake, they usually sing âHappy Birthday to You.â You know the song well. Itâs sung at almost every birthday party. Variations exist in nearly every language. Weâve heard âThe Happy … Continue reading →
Robert Calvin Bland, better known as Bobby âBlueâ Bland, the âLion of the Blues,â passed away on Sunday, June 23rd, after fighting an ongoing illness. Bland was 83-years-old and leaves behind a legacy of blues, gospel and R&B that has … Continue reading →
The Sinking of the âCumberlandâ by the Ironclad âMerrimacâ, off Newport News Va. March 8th 1862 â Currier and Ives, 1862 Introduction This week we return once again to the American Civil War for some music that might make the … Continue reading →
Not Laura Foster This is the fifth post in a series on âTom Dooleyâ and related songs. The first post discusses some of the facts behind the story that inspired the song. The following three posts âHang down your head, … Continue reading →
Neil Young This our fourth post so far on the familiar murder ballad âTom Dooley.â âThe first post discusses some of the history behind the song. âThe second post discusses the history of the song itself, from regional to international … Continue reading →
