English Shepherd and Farming Songs

The singing tradition of the Copper family (of Rottingdean, East Sussex) is one that goes back to at least the 18th Century. On this recording, Bob and Ron Copper sing traditional songs of rural England in their family's style, a system of two-part harmony that folklorist Peter Kennedy described as "folk-polyphony". Performing in the 1950's for BBC Radio and a television series presented by Alan Lomax, the Copper's music was influential in the British Folk Revival of the 1960's. Included in this selection are several songs that had not been previously collected at the time of recording in 1963.

Liner notes contain a personal statement from Bob Copper on his family's history and singing tradition, and some musicological notes from Peter Kennedy