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Virginia Traditions: Native Virginia Ballads and Songs

Various Artists
Virginia Traditions: Native Virginia Ballads and Songs

Few states in this country can boast of more diverse folkways than Virginia. Many of the material objects—such as barns, tools, and furniture—reflect the traditions that shaped the lives of its earliest settlers and the generations of Virginians who followed. The Commonwealth’s performance traditions of songs, tunes, and tales also tell of a shared heritage involving all classes of people in every facet of life. Because traditions naturally change over time, the documentation of Virginia folk culture is an ongoing process essential to our understanding of the past, present, and future. By recording the folkways of Virginia, the Blue Ridge Institute of Ferrum College and its BRI Record label strive to foster a greater appreciation of our folk roots through an array of interpretive programs. From murders to train wrecks to natural disasters, the ballads on this recording concern events and people of Appalachian Virginia. Performance styles range from traditional unaccompanied singing to sophisticated modern bluegrass.

Track Listing

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101
Hobart Smith
03:33
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102
Spence Moore
01:59
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103
James Taylor Adams and Finley Adams
03:59
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104
Branch W. Higgins
02:16
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105
Spence Moore
02:59
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106
Ernest V. Stoneman
03:06
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107
Vernon Dalhart
04:16
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108
Kelly Harrell and Henry Whitter
03:49
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201
Ted Prillaman
02:25
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202
Floyd County Ramblers
03:41
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203
J.C. Pierce
03:43
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204
The Carter Family
02:04
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205
The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys
03:12
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206
Helen Cockram
02:08
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207
Jim and Artie Marshall
02:59
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208
Little "Doc" Raymond and The Coleman Pardners
02:54
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209
Jim and Artie Marshall
04:51