Mountain Music Of Kentucky [2-CD Set]

Product Review

Originally issued as a single LP in 1960, Mountain Music of Kentucky was praised as "the greatest Kentucky record ever issed and one of the greatest records in the entire literature of American folk song" (San Francisco Chronicle 1960). This much expanded compilation features some of the outstanding traditional musicians of the twentieth century with two full hours of performances (60 minutes previously unreleased), new notes, and many photographs by John Cohen. "One of the greatest records in the entire literature of American folk song." — San Francisco Chronicle

Title Tracks for Mountain Music Of Kentucky [2-CD Set]

1. Old-Age Pension Blues - Bill Cornett
2. Hook & Line - Bill Cornett
3. John Henry - Bill Cornett
4. Pretty Polly - Bill Cornett
5. Old Reuben - Bill Cornett
6. Spring Of '65 - J.D. Cornett
7. Sally In The Garden - J.D. Cornett
8. Barbara Allen - J.D. Cornett
9. When We Shall Meet - Old Baptist Church
10. Amazing Grace - Old Baptist Church
11. Across The Rocky Mountain - Roscoe Holcomb
12. Graveyard Blues - Roscoe Holcomb
13. Cripple Creek - Roscoe Holcomb
14. True Love - Roscoe Holcomb
15. Sally In The Garden - Marion Sumner
16. Lost Indian - Marion Sumner
17. Hollow Poplar - Marion Sumner
18. Death Of The Blue Eagle - George Davis
19. Little Birdie - Willie Chapman
20. Lost Indian - Willie Chapman
21. Jaw Bone - Willie Chapman
22. Bunkers Hill - Willie Chapman
23. Cacklin' Hen - Willie Chapman
24. Julie Ann - Willie Chapman
25. Born In Old Kentucky - Bill Cornett
26. Buck Creek Girls - Bill Cornett
27. Sweet Willie - Bill Cornett
28. Cluck Old Hen - Bill Cornett
29. Coney Island - Roscoe Holcomb
30. Baby Let Your Hair Roll Down - Roscoe Holcomb
31. Wayfairing Stranger - Roscoe Holcomb
32. Stingy Woman - Roscoe Holcomb
33. East Virginia Blues - Roscoe Holcomb
34. Single Girl - Roscoe Holcomb
35. Black Eyed Susie - Roscoe Holcomb
36. Hills Of Mexico - Roscoe Holcomb
37. Foriegn Lander - Martha Hall
38. Kitty Alone - Martha Hall
39. Young & Tender Ladies - Martha Hall
40. Charlie's Neat - Granville Bowlin
41. Cotton-Eyed Joe - Granville Bowlin
42. Little Sunshine - Granville Bowlin
43. Wild Bill Jones - Granville Bowlin
44. Great Speckled Bird - Holiness Church
45. Clap & Shout - Holiness Church
46. Cry From The Cross - Holiness Church
47. Clap & Shout & Shriek - Holiness Church
48. The Wagoner's Lad - Mr. & Mrs. Sams
49. The Absentee - Mr. & Mrs. Sams
50. The Coo Coo - Mr. & Mrs. Sams
51. Marthis Campbell - James Crase
52. Sally Goodin' - James Crase
53. Fiddler A Dram - James Crase
54. Fox Chase - James Crase
55. Old Joe Clark - James Crase
56. Fire On The Mountain - James Crase
57. Ways Of The World - James Crase
58. Inch Along - James Crase
59. Skip To My Lou - James Crase
60. St. Louis Blues - Lee Sexton
61. Pretty Polly - Lee Sexton
62. Fly Around - Lee Sexton
63. Fox Chase - Lee Sexton
64. Ruby - Grigsby & Young
65. No Letter In The Mail - Grigsby & Young
66. Fair Miss In The Garden - Grigsby & Young
67. John Henry - Grigsby & Young
68. Rocky Island - Grigsby & Young

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review

(8 customer reviews)

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

The hills were alive!, March 15, 2003

Pharoah S. Wail (Inner Space) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mountain Music Of Kentucky [2-CD Set] (Audio CD)

Having just reviewed another of John Cohen's excellent collections (High Atmosphere) yesterday, this seemed like a natural choice for today. This was recorded in 1959. Obviously the biggest "star" here is Roscoe Holcomb. He is the one person on this 2-disc set who is the most well-known to the largest number of people, but this is by no means a one-man collection. In fact, I don't even consider Roscoe to be the best musician present here. For the life of me I still cannot figure out why Bill Cornett's name isn't thrown around as "one of the greats". His voice and banjo playing, particularly on Pretty Polly, Old Reuben, Born In Kentucky, Sweet Willie, etc... just knock me out. Born In Kentucky being a variant of the more well-known tune, Dark Holler. J.D. Cornett has a fine solo-vocal version of Spring of '65, and you do indeed get some fine stuff from Roscoe here in case he is your main focus. From bits of Jack-A-Roe to one of his "I made it myself" tunes where he then lifts...Read more

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

Ground Zero for Folk and the Nashville Sound, May 24, 2001

Jean Durney (Land O Lakes, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mountain Music Of Kentucky [2-CD Set] (Audio CD)

This is the "real" folk music of America. It is simple, honest and speaks to the heart. It isn't remaster, amplified or mixed but made by people singing and playing at home, at church and at play. The songs are about life, love, work, war, good times and bad times.You can hear the sound that trained the Carters, Jimmie Rogers and every "American folk song and singer" from Guthrie, Ives and the Weavers on. These songs are done by people singing from the enjoyment of life not for money! Listen for "Amazing Grace" from the Old Baptist Church and "Ruby" by Grigsby & Young or sit with the Sams. Close your eyes and it could be any date from the 1880s on.If you like folk, blue grass, the old SUN Records sound or are just "interested" this is ground zero where it all started.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Absolutely essential, October 5, 2004

Ryan McNabb (Ooltewah, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mountain Music Of Kentucky [2-CD Set] (Audio CD)

This is a marvelous collection. Along with "High Atmosphere", I consider it essential to orient you to the way the music really sounded. Most people come to Old Time music from some place else...bluegrass, country, or one of the great modern oddities like Old Crow Medicine Show or The Bad Livers. Perhaps you got the bug from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". Well, you're on the right path with this very big 2 CD collection that not only has achingly beautiful a'capella balads, red hot fiddling, and some really phenomenal banjo work, but also haunting church shape note singing. Get "High Atmosphere" as well, and once you've absorbed them, branch out from there.