The second installment in our exploration of the Alan Lomax book of the same name, this time focusing our energies on tradition in gospel and spiritual. Leader-chorus work songs to lighten the load of heavy labor; dancing songs to quicken the spirit on those rare holidays; and spirituals to replace their lost African religions and to console in times of physical torment and spiritual degradation are all captured here, including the stories and lineage behind the original pieces. We’ll hear from a diverse selection of performers including The Dixie Jubilee Singers, Odetta, Nina Simone, Tom Waits, Eva Cassidy, and many others.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Fisk Jubilee Singers
I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray
The Gold and Blue Album
3
Bessemer Sunset Four
Climbing Jacob's Ladder
Bessemer Sunset Four (1928-1930)
4
Kenneth Benfield
Jacob's Ladder (Folk)
Masters of Old-Time Country Autoharp
5
Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger