Ballads and Songs - Historic Recordings

Description

Of British and American origin, ballads and songs are the essence of the Appalachian soul. This music ranges from hauntingly beautiful to disturbingly grim, traditional ballads that tell a compelling story to whimsical, nonsense songs filled with humor. Narrative songs equally hold the listener, as tales are told or life’s lessons are put to music. Though accompanied at times by fretted dulcimer, guitar, fiddle, or banjo, it is the distinctive Appalachian voice that stands out in this music form. The following playlist represents only a small sampling of the many ballads and songs found in the collections of the Archives of Appalachia.