Score
One score is as follows: [18] [12]
"Shady Grove" is a traditional Appalachian folk song [1] (Roud 4456), [2] believed to have originated in eastern Kentucky around the beginning the 20th century. [3] The song was popular among old-time musicians of the Cumberlands before being widely adopted in the bluegrass repertoire. [4] Many variants of "Shady Grove" exist (up to 300 stanzas by the early 21st century). [5]
The lyrics describes "the true love of a young man's life and his hope they will wed," [6] and it is sometimes identified as a courting song. [7]
The Dorian mode melody was first published as "Shady Grove" in the Journal of American Folklore in 1915, [8] but it was traditionally used in Appalachia for the ballad Matty Groves, as sung by traditional singers including Sheila Kay Adams ("Lady Margaret") [9] and Dillard Chandler ("Mathie Groves"). This suggests that the melody may originate in England or Scotland.[ citation needed ] The fact that "Shady Grove" and "Matty Groves" share a tune suggests that "Shady Grove" is a variant of "Matty Groves".[ citation needed ] There is also speculation that the name Shady Grove may be a place-name, a woman's name or nickname, or possibly a mondegreen. [10]
Doc Watson helped popularize "Shady Grove", after presumably learning it from Jean Ritchie, who in turn learned the song from her father. [11]
Fairport Convention released a popular version of Matty Groves in 1969 using the traditional "Shady Grove" tune on their album Liege and Lief. The tune was also used by folk duo John Roberts and Tony Barrand for "The False Lady", a variant of "Young Hunting".
"Shady Grove" has been recorded by numerous artists, including Jean Ritchie, the Kingston Trio, Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, Mudcrutch, Bill Monroe, Billy Strings, Suzy Bogguss, Crooked Still, Taj Mahal, Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley, Blood Oranges, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Chieftains, Uncle Sinner, Jayke Orvis, and Camper Van Beethoven. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] It also was performed by The Dillards on an episode of The Andy Griffith Show - "Divorce Mountain Style."
One score is as follows: [18] [12]
Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Like mainstream country music, it largely developed out of old-time string music, though in contrast, bluegrass is traditionally played exclusively on acoustic instruments and also has roots in traditional English, Scottish, and Irish ballads and dance tunes as well as in blues and jazz. Bluegrass was further developed by musicians who played with Monroe, including 5-string banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt. Monroe characterized the genre as, "Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'. It's a part of Methodist, Holiness and Baptist traditions. It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound."
The term American folk music encompasses numerous music genres, variously known as traditional music, traditional folk music, contemporary folk music, vernacular music, or roots music. Many traditional songs have been sung within the same family or folk group for generations, and sometimes trace back to such origins as the British Isles, Mainland Europe, or Africa. Musician Mike Seeger once famously commented that the definition of American folk music is "...all the music that fits between the cracks."
"Lord Randall", or "Lord Randal", is an Anglo-Scottish border ballad consisting of dialogue between a young Lord and his mother. Similar ballads can be found across Europe in many languages, including Danish, German, Magyar, Irish, Swedish, and Wendish. Italian variants are usually titled "L'avvelenato" or "Il testamento dell'avvelenato", the earliest known version being a 1629 setting by Camillo il Bianchino, in Verona. Under the title "Croodlin Doo" Robert Chambers published a version in his "Scottish Ballads" (1829) page 324
Fiona Karen Ritchie MBE is a Scottish radio broadcaster best known as the producer and host of The Thistle & Shamrock, an hour-long Celtic music program that airs weekly throughout the United States on National Public Radio (NPR). She also curates ThistleRadio, a 24/7 web-based music channel devoted to new and classic music from Celtic roots, and is co-author of The New York Times Best Seller Wayfaring Strangers.
Jean Ruth Ritchie was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk". In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way, many of which were Appalachian variants of centuries old British and Irish songs, including dozens of Child Ballads. In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences, as well as writing some of her own songs using traditional foundations.
"Matty Groves", also known as "Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard" or "Little Musgrave", is a ballad probably originating in Northern England that describes an adulterous tryst between a young man and a noblewoman that is ended when the woman's husband discovers and kills them. It is listed as Child ballad number 81 and number 52 in the Roud Folk Song Index. This song exists in many textual variants and has several variant names. The song dates to at least 1613, and under the title Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard is one of the Child ballads collected by 19th-century American scholar Francis James Child.
"Banks of the Ohio", also known as "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" and "I'll Never Be Yours", is a 19th-century murder ballad, written by unknown authors. The lyrics tell of "Willie" who invites his young lover for a walk during which she rejects his marriage proposal, and once they are alone on the river bank, he murders the young woman.
Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles, the African music and blues of early African Americans, and to a lesser extent the music of Continental Europe.
Paul Clayton was an American folksinger and folklorist who was prominent in the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s.
"Pretty Polly", "The Gosport Tragedy" or "The Cruel Ship's Carpenter" is a traditional English-language folk song found in the British Isles, Canada, and the Appalachian region of North America, among other places.
"Darlin' Cory" is a well-known American folk song about love, loss, and moonshine. It is similar in theme to "Little Maggie" and "The Gambling Man" but is not considered the same as those songs.
Original Folkways Recordings: 1960–1962 is the title of a recording by Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley, released in 1994.
Lloyd Chandler (1896–1978) was an American Appalachian Folk musician and Free Will Baptist preacher from Madison County, North Carolina.
"Cumberland Gap" is an Appalachian folk song that likely dates to the latter half of the 19th century and was first recorded in 1924. The song is typically played on banjo or fiddle, and well-known versions of the song include instrumental versions as well as versions with lyrics. A version of the song appeared in the 1934 book, American Ballads and Folk Songs, by folk song collector John Lomax. Woody Guthrie recorded a version of the song at his Folkways sessions in the mid-1940s, and the song saw a resurgence in popularity with the rise of bluegrass and the American folk music revival in the 1950s. In 1957, the British musician Lonnie Donegan had a No. 1 UK hit with a skiffle version of "Cumberland Gap".
Roger Sprung was an American banjo player and teacher best known for introducing authentic bluegrass banjo picking styles to the folk music community in the north and for the eclectic manner in which he adapted bluegrass banjo techniques to music of other genres. His 1963 album Progressive Bluegrass may have been the first use of that title, later applied to a subgenre of bluegrass music by him and others.
"Cripple Creek" is an Appalachian-style old time tune and folk song, often played on the fiddle or banjo, listed as number 3434 in the Roud Folk Song Index.
George Pickow was an American photographer and filmmaker who chronicled the folk and jazz music scenes in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries. He was married to the well-known Kentucky folk musician Jean Ritchie.
"Yew Piney Mountain" is part of the canonical Appalachian music tradition which has been highly influential in American fiddle tradition generally, including its old time fiddle and bluegrass fiddle branches. According to Alan Jabbour at the Digital Library of Appalachia, the tune was called "Blackberry Blossom" until that title was taken over by a different tune. The earlier "Blackberry Blossom", as played by Sanford Kelly from Morgan County, is now represented by the tune "Yew Piney Mountain".
Singing the Traditional Songs of Her Kentucky Mountain Family is the first studio album of American folk singer Jean Ritchie. It was released in 1952 by Elektra Records. The album consists of renditions of traditional Appalachian folk songs, some of which are performed a cappella.
