Doc Watson/Clarence Ashley - The Original Folkways Recordings Of Doc Watson And Clarence Ashley 1960-1962

Artist:

Watson, Doc

UPC:

093074002926

See Also:

Acuff, Roy Guthrie, Woody

Description:

Personnel: Doc Watson (vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica); Clarence Ashley, "New River Jack" Burchett, Dock Walsh (vocals, banjo); Jean Ritchie (vocals); Clint Howard (vocals, guitar); Garley Foster (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Arnold Watson (vocals, banjo, harmonica); Fred Price (vocals, fiddle); Ralph Rinzler (guitar); Jack Johnson (banjo); Gaither Carlton (banjo, fiddle); Tommy Moore (washboard).
Compilation producers: Ralph Rinzler, Jeff Place, Matt Walters.
Recorded between September 1960 and April 1962. Includes liner notes by Ralph Rinzler.
Includes a 36-page booklet with song-by-song annotations, biographical notes on the players, a bibliography and selected discography.
Some of the tracks on THE ORIGINAL FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS were originally released as OLD TIME MUSIC AT CLARENCE ASHLEY`S, VOLS. 1 AND 2 (Folkways 2355 and 2359).
An intriguing document of two musical generations overlapping, this Smithsonian Folkways collection presents the debut of Doc Watson, then a promising young bluegrass guitarist, and the reintroduction of Clarence Ashley, a banjo player who had become well known in the South decades before these early-1960s sessions. This two-disc, 48-track set consists almost entirely of traditional tunes, as Watson and Ashley`s earnest, no-frills vocals mesh wonderfully with those of the backing ensemble. Of course, the real draw here is the deft instrumental work of Watson and Ashley, which is showcased on all of these tracks (many of which are previously unreleased), including the lightning-quick "Cumberland Gap," the driving "Fire on the Mountain," and the lilting "Footprints in the Snow." The original release of many of these songs coincided with the early-`60s folk revival, leading to success for Ashley and particularly Watson, who would go on to become one of the most influential guitarists in folk/bluegrass history.

Track Listing:

DISC 1:

1. Crawdad Song
2. I`m Sitting on Top of the World - (previously unreleased)
3. Lee Highway Blues
4. Free Little Bird
5. Coo-Coo Bird, The
6. Rising Sun Blues
7. Looking T`Ward Heaven - (previously unreleased)
8. Rambling Hobo - (previously unreleased)
9. Rambling Hobo - (previously unreleased)
10. Shady Grove
11. Cumberland Gap - (previously unreleased)
12. Tough Luck
13. Humpbacked Mule
14. My Home`s Across the Blue Ridge Mountains
15. Way Down Town
16. Banks of the Ohio - (previously unreleased)
17. Little Sadie
18. Carroll County Blues - (previously unreleased)
19. Cluck Old Hen - (previously unreleased)
20. Chilly Winds (Lonesome Road Blues) - (previously unreleased)
21. Sweet Heaven When I Die - (previously unreleased)
22. Fire on the Mountain - (previously unreleased)
23. Will the Circle Be Unbroken - (previously unreleased)
24. Daniel Prayed
25. Amazing Grace

DISC 2:

1. Sally Ann
2. Richmond Blues
3. Old Ruben
4. Willie Moore - (previously unreleased)
5. Walking Boss
6. Shout Lulu - (previously unreleased)
7. Skillet Good and Greasy
8. Pretty Little Pink
9. Run, Jimmie, Run - (previously unreleased)
10. Hicks` Farewell
11. Old Man at the Mill, The
12. Short Life of Trouble, A - (previously unreleased)
13. Brown`s Dream - (previously unreleased)
14. Footprints in the Snow
15. I`m Going Back to Jericho
16. Peg and Awl
17. Maggie Walker Blues
18. God`s Gonna Ease My Troublin` Mind
19. I Saw a Man at the Close of Day - (previously unreleased)
20. Handsome Molly
21. John Henry - (previously unreleased)
22. Honey Babe Blues
23. Wayfaring Pilgrim - (previously unreleased)

Album Information

Release Date:

06/23/1994

Type:

Performer

Genre:

International

Subgenre:

Appalachian

Label:

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Catalog Number:

40029

Original Release Year:

1994

# of Discs:

2

Studio/Live:

Mixed

Mono/Stereo:

Mixed

Guest Artist:

Jean Ritchie

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