Traditional folk musicians can’t develop their style in a vacuum – they are always influenced by past masters. Whether they learned the style and repertoire by listening to recordings, watching films or by sitting knee-to-knee, they absorbed everything as the music was passed on. We’ll hear Jimmy Burns, Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard, Sheila Kay Adams, Louis Killen and many more. We’ll honor present day players and some of their influences … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

LISTEN:

Artist/”Song”/CD/Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways
Taj Mahal / “Needed Time” / Soundtrack: Sounder / Varese Sarabande
Jimmy Burns / “She Left Me a Mule to Ride” / Tribute / Delmark
Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi / “Take this Hammer” / Sonny and Brownie’s Last Ride / M.C. Records
Marie Knight / “Didn’t It Rain” / The Gospel Truth / M.C, Records
Rhiannon Giddens / “Up Above My Head” / Tomorrow is My Turn / Nonesuch

The Earls of Leicester / “Salty Dog Blues”/ Live at the CMA Theater / Rounder
Tim O’Brien / “Few Old Memories” / Where the River Meets the Road / Howdy Skies
Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard / “Will You Miss Me?” / Sing Me Back Home / Free Dirt
Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands / “Working Girl Blues” / The Hazel and Alice Sessions / Spruce and Maple
Taj Mahal / “Needed Time (Banjo and Hand Clapping)” / Soundtrack: Sounder / Varese Sarabande

Sheila Kay Adams / “Fine Sally” / My Dearest Dear / Granny Dell
Jean Ritchie / “Barbry Ellen” / Field Trip / Green Hays
Anna & Elizabeth / “Soldier and the Lady” / Anna & Elizabeth / Free Dirt

Ewan MacColl & A.L. Lloyd / “Jack Tar” / Blow Boys Blow / Tradition
Louis Killen / “The Banks of Sweet Primroses” / Ballads and Broadsides / Topic
Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick / “Matt Hyland” / Selections / Edsel
Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways