The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records (catalogue FP 251, FP 252, and FP 253), of ninety-eight American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued from 1927 to 1932.

The Anthology was compiled by musicologist and folklorist Harry Smith from his personal collection of 78 rpm records. The selections were chosen to reflect the influence of folk music on mainstream American music. The Anthology was released

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

In 1952, musicologist Harry Smith compiled 84 songs on six vinyl records that would come to shape the American folk music revival of the 1950s and ’60s. The Anthology of American Folk Music, as it was called, was released on Folkways Records and included everything from ballads and blues to Cajun music and country.

The Various Artists Who Contributed to The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

The Various Artists Who Contributed to The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads include:

-Earl Scruggs
-Doc Watson
-The Stanley Brothers
-Carter Family
-The Weavers

The Genres of Music Included in The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records, catalogue FP 251/2. Compiled and edited by Harry Smith, it is widely considered one of the most influential releases in the history of folk music.

The Anthology includes eighty-four recordings that were originally issued on 78 RPM disc between 1927 and 1932, representing a cross section of music from that era. The material was culled from Harry Smith’s personal collection of discs, which he had begun assembling in the late 1930s. It encompasses religious music, work songs, children’s songs, love songs, gambling songs, blues, Depression-era protest songs, and more. Most of the recordings were made by commercial record companies such as Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia Records, and Brunswick Records; a few were homemade discs recorded by the performers themselves.

TheAnthologyofAmericanFolkMusic:Volume1 – Balladsincludesfollowingtypesofmusic:blues,country music,gospel music,folk music,and old-time music.

The Significance of The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads is one of the most important and influential releases in the history of recordings. Comprising a total of eighty four tracks, it was originally issued as a six-LP box set by Folkways Records in 1952.

The brainchild of editor, musician and folklorist Harry Smith, the Anthology was compiled from commercial records Smith had collected over many years. It presents a wide cross-section of American music from the years 1927-1932 and provides a vital snapshot of an earlier era in the nation’s history.

The tracks on the Anthology are organized into three distinct sections – ‘Ballads’, ‘Social Music’ and ‘Songs’. The first volume (out of a proposed six) is devoted entirely to ballads and features some of the most beautiful and evocative songs ever recorded.

Notable performers on Volume 1 – Ballads include Aunt Molly Jackson, Bukka White, Charles Seeger, Elizabeth Cotten, Frank Hutchison, Gwen Foster, Hally Wood, Henry Thomas, Leadbelly, Mississippi John Hurt, Odetta, Pete Seeger and Texas Gladden.

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads is an essential release for anyone with an interest in American music and culture.

The Songs Included in The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads is a compilation album of folk songs compiled by Harry Smith. It was originally released in 1952 by Folkways Records. The album consists of 84 songs, all of which are ballads.

“Barbara Allen”

“Barbara Allen” is a traditional ballad originating in England, which tells the story of a tragic love affair. The song was first published in 1744 and quickly became popular in both England and America. It has been recorded by many artists over the years, including Bob Dylan and Emmylou Harris.

“The Ballad of Frankie Silver”

Frankie Silver was a young woman who murdered her husband in 1832. This song is about her trial and execution.

“The Banks of the Ohio”

“The Banks of the Ohio” is a traditional American folk song, written by an unknown author in the early nineteenth century. The song tells the story of a young woman who is murdered by her lover after she refuses to marry him.

The song was first published in 1817, in a collection of folk songs called The Kentucky Harmony. It became popular in the early twentieth century, when it was recorded by several artists, including the Carter Family and Woody Guthrie. In recent years, it has been performed by such artists as Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, and Jack White.

“The Battle of New Orleans”

“The Battle of New Orleans” is a song written by Jimmy Driftwood. It has been recorded by many artists, but is best known for its 1959 rendition by country music singer Johnny Horton, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1960. The song was originally part of Driftwood’s album Tales of the Cajun Land, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1961.

“Billy the Kid”

“Billy the Kid” is a traditional ballad about the 19th-century American outlaw Billy the Kid. The song was collected by folklorist Francis James Child in 1883 and has been recorded numerous times since then. It is one of the most well-known and popular songs in the American folk tradition.

The Legacy of The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads was released in 1952 and is one of the most influential folk music collections ever released. The Anthology is a collection of 84 songs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that were compiled by Harry Smith. The Anthology was released on six discs and includes songs from a variety of genres including ballads, blues, country, gospel, and shape note singing.

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads as an Inspiration for Later Folk Musicians

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads was release in 1952 and immediately had an immense impact on the folk music scene. The album featured a variety of traditional songs, some of which had never been recorded before, and influenced a generation of folk musicians. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and The Kingston Trio are just a few of the artists who were inspired by the Anthology.

The Anthology was compiled by Harry Smith and released by Folkways Records. It featured 84 songs on 6 LP discs, with each disc containing a different theme. The album was divided into three categories: “Ballads”, “Social Music”, and “Songs”. The Ballads disc featured traditional songs about love, loss, murder, and war. The Social Music disc contained songs about work, drinking, gambling, and other aspects of daily life. The Songs disc featured a mix of religious music, political protest songs, and humorous tunes.

The Anthology became an instant classic and is still considered one of the most important folk music collections ever released. It has been reissued several times and is widely available on CD and online. If you’re interested in exploring the roots of American folk music, this is a great place to start.

The Anthology of American Folk Music: Volume 1 – Ballads as a Document of American Folk Music

In the late 1920s, the musicologist and folklorist Harry Smith compiled a now-legendary six-album set of folk music called the Anthology of American Folk Music. Released in 1952, the Anthology was one of the first commercial recordings of American folk music and had a profound influence on the development of both country and rock music.

The Anthology was originally released as a limited-edition box set of 78rpm records and was intended for use by scholars and researchers. However, it quickly became popular with a wider audience thanks to its innovative approach to song selection and presentation.

The Anthology is arranged into three “volumes” based on theme: ballads, social music, and religious music. Each volume contains 24 songs, representing a cross-section of genres including blues, gospel, country, and folk.

While the Anthology is now considered an essential document of American folk music, it was not without its critics when it was first released. Some accused Smith of cherry-picking songs that supported his own view of American history, while others objected to his inclusion of commercial recordings instead of purely traditional songs.

Regardless of its detractors, the Anthology has had a lasting impact on American culture. It continues to be an important source for both scholars and musicians, and its influence can still be heard in today’s country and rock music.