British Traditional Ballads (Child Ballads) in the Southern Mountains, Vol. 1

Ten years after British scholar Cecil J. Sharp declared the traditional English ballad a "moribund" art form, he discovered a rich and thriving tradition of ballad-singing in America's southern Appalachian Mountains. Jean Ritchie, a tradition-bearer from Appalachian Kentucky, shares some of her favorite "story songs" of murder and romance. "Hangman" and "Old Bangum" feature the Appalachian dulcimer, a type of fretted zither unique to the region. Liner notes include an introduction by Ritchie, notes by Kenneth J. Goldstein, a bibliography on the ballads collected by Francis Child, and historical information and lyrics for each song.

Track Listing

101	Gypsy Laddie*	Jean Ritchie	02:50
102	False Sir John	Jean Ritchie	04:22
103	Hangman	Jean Ritchie	02:01
104	Lord Bateman	Jean Ritchie	06:05
105	House Carpenter	Jean Ritchie	04:22
106	Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender	Jean Ritchie	05:30
201	The Merry Golden Tree	Jean Ritchie	02:11
202	Lord Lovel	Jean Ritchie	04:44
203	Old Bangum	Jean Ritchie	01:55
204	Barbara Allen	Jean Ritchie	05:04
205	Fair Annie of Lochroyan	Jean Ritchie	09:07