Alan Lomax remains an enigmatic figure in the history of American roots music. Few can but be in awe of the amazing legacy of field recordings that he made in America and around the world. Rounder Records is in the midst of an amazing project with the Alan Lomax Archive to release 150 volumes of his field recordings in their Alan Lomax Collection. Already dozens have been released in various series. Of special interest is the Deep River of Song series which focuses on African American field recordings from 1933 to 1946. The latest two are stunning, Deep River of Song: Georgia (Rounder) and Deep River of Song: Alabama (Rounder) The four CD collection, Sounds of the South (Atlantic) from Lomax's 1959 trips through that region is another great sampler of his work. Alan Lomax also produced a five part PBS Television series American Patchwork, that over a decade ago looked at Delta Blues, Cajun music, jazz parades in New Orleans, Appalachian old time music and the contribution of elder songsters to roots music that is now available on video from Vestapol.
- Alabama - From Lullabies To Blues (2001)
- Bahamas 1935 - Chanteys & Anthems From Andros & Cat Island (1999)
- Bahamas 1935, Vol. 2 - Ring Games and Round Dances (2002)
- Black Appalachia: String Bands, Songsters and Hoedowns (1999)
- Black Texicans - Balladeers And Songsters of the Texas Frontier (1999)
- Georgia - I'm Gonna Make You Happy (2001)
- Louisiana - Catch That Train and Testify! (2004)
- Mississippi - Saints and Sinners - From Before the Blues and Gospel (1999)
- South Carolina - Got the Keys to the Kingdom (2002)
- Virginia And The Piedmont - Minstrelsy, Work Songs And Blues (2000)
Alabama - From Lullabies To Blues (2001)
1 Another Man Done Gone- Vera Ward Hall 1:24
2 Railroad Bill - Vera Ward Hall 1:19
3 Poor Lazarus - Vera Ward Hall 3:18
4 Been in the Jailhouse (Sun Gonna Shine in My Door Some Day) - Blind Jessie Harris 2:20
5 I Been Drinking - Vera Ward Hall 2:44
6 Honey, Take a Whiff on Me - Blind Jessie Harris 3:11
7 Train on a Hill - Rich Amerson 4:45
8 Alabama Bound- Rich Brown 1:46
9 Moaning (I'll Soon Be Gone) - Vera Ward Hall, Dock Reed, and Henry Reed 1:31
10 Job, Job - Dock Reed & Vera Hall Ward 2:46
11 Didn't That Hammer Ring? (I Can't Hold Out No Longer)- Dock Reed & Vera Hall Ward 2:54
12 What Is the Soul of Man? - Vera Ward Hall, Dock Reed, and Henry Reed 1:22
13 Knock John Booker (to the Low Ground)- Mary McDonald 1:40
14 Wake, Sally Baker - Joe & Mary McDonald 2:15
15 Go to Sleep, Little Baby - Harriet McClintock 2:33
16 Hush, Little Baby - Annie Brewer 0:43
17 Come Up Horsey, Hey, Hey (Little Lapdog Lullaby) - Vera Ward Hall 2:07
18 Little Bitty Man - Mary McDonald 1:08
19 Titty, Give Me Some Titty (Titty, Mama, Titty) - Mary McDonald 1:04
20 Hopali (Hop-A-Lee) - [unknown] 1:46
21 Ain't Gonna Rain No More - [unknown] 0:35
22 Jack, Can I Ride- [unknown] 2:00
23 Billy Goat Latin - Joe F. Williams & Booker T. Williams 1:39
24 Hog Hunt - Rich Amerson 2:25
25 I'm Chopping Cotton - Sim Tartt Group 1:24
26 Gin the Cotton - Harriet McClintock 0:52
27 Boll Weevil Blues (The Boll Weevil Holler) - Vera Ward Hall 1:18
28 Worried Blues - Tom Bell 2:44
29 Steamboat Days - Rich Amerson 5:01
30 Carrie, Carrie - Thomas Langston, Judge Broadus, Albert Nicholson & Joe Millhouse 1:23
31 Eighteen Hundred and Ninety-One (Ain't Working Song) - Charley Campbell 1:37
32 Captain, I'm Getting Tired - Willie Carter, Albert Nicholson, Allen Gordon & David Alexander 1:31
Bahamas 1935 - Chanteys & Anthems From Andros & Cat Island (1999)
1. Andros Island Group - Blow, Liza, Blow
2. Andros Island Group - Roll Him Along
3. Henry Lundy - Round the Bay of Mexico
4. Henry Lundy - Bowline
5. Andros Island Group - Long Time Ago
6. Andros Island Group - When You Go to Sea
7. Cleveland Simmons Group - Histe up the John B Sail
8. Andros Island Group - John Bully
9. Zacharias Green - Stand up from Below
10. David Pryor - When the Whale Get Strike
11. Andros Island Group - A Great Storm Pass Over
12. Andros Island Group - Mary, Come Join Our Religon
13. Andros Island Group - Swing Your Tail
14. Henry Lundy - Come Down, You Roses
15. Andros Island Group - O the Last One
16. Cleveland Simmons Group - I May Be Gone
17. Andros Island Group - All Night, Jesus, All Night
18. Andros Island Group - Sittin' Down 'Longside of My Lord
19. Andros Island Group - Dig My Grave
20. Andros Island Group - Down in the Valley
21. Andros Island Group - Time
22. Andros Island Group - Job
23. Andros Island Group - Here Am I
24. Andros Island Group - I Bid You Goodnight
Bahamas 1935, Vol. 2 - Ring Games and Round Dances (2002)
1. War Down The Line - Cleveland Simmons Group
2. Hallie, Rock - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
3. Sail, Gal - Elizabeth Austin & Group
4. Sailin' In The Boat - Elizabeth Austin Group
5. Little Sally Water - Elizabeth Austin Group
6. Sand Gone In My Cuckoo-Eye - Frederick McQueen & Group
7. Oh, Tilla - Fox Hill Male Group
8. The Devil Roll Like Thunder - Fox Hill Male Group
9. The Wind Blow East - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
10. Biddy, Biddy - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
11. Auntie Dinah - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
12. Evalina - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
13. Oh, Mama, Red-Eye - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
14. Congo Dance - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
15. No Lazy Man - Rowena Bell & Group
16. The Mail - Rowena Bell & Group
17. All, Day, All Night Long - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
18. Bimini Gal - Nassau String Band
19. Abaco Is A Pretty Place - Nassau String Band
20. Wasp Bite Nobi On Her Conch-Eye - Nassau String Band
21. Don't You Hurry Worry With Me - Nassau String Band
22. Delia Gone - Nassau String Band
23. Woman Is A Nation - Fox Hill Male Group
24. Married Woman Is A Secret Murder - Nassau String Band
25. Slide, Mongoose, Slide - Nassau String Band
26. Oh, Baby, Lick It Up - Deep River Of Song: Bahamas 1935, Ring Games And Round Dances
27. Bellamina - Nassau String Band
28. The Greyhound Boat/Round And Round The Barroom - Nassau String Band
29. Raw Rum, Gin And Toddy - Nassau String Band
Black Appalachia: String Bands, Songsters and Hoedowns (1999)
1. Jimmie Strothers – Cripple Creek
2. Murphy Gribble, John Lusk & Albert York – Christmas Eve
3. Theopolis Stokes – Washboard Rhythm
4. Nashville Washboard Band – Soldier's Joy
5. Nashville Washboard Band – Old Joe
6. Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head & Alec Askew – Arkansas Traveler
7. Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head & Alec Askew – Black Bayou
8. Blind Pete & George Ryan – Banty Rooster
9. Jimmie Strothers – Poontang Little, Poontang Small
10. Murphy Gribble, John Lusk & Albert York – Give The Fiddler A Dram
11. Murphy Gribble, John Lusk & Albert York – Eighth Of January
12. Introduction Of Band
13. Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head & Alec Askew – The Eighth Of January
14. Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head & Alec Askew – Skillet Good And Greasy
15. Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head & Alec Askew – Devil's Dream
16. Sid Hemphill, Lucius Smith, Will Head & Alec Askew – John Henry
17. John 'Black Sampson' Gibson – Steel-Laying Holler
18. Allen Prothero – Pauline
19. John 'Black Sampson' Gibson – Track-Lining Song
20. Sonny Terry – New Careless Love
21. Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry – The Red Cross Store
22. Brownie McGhee, Lead Belly & Sonny Terry – How Long Blues
Black Texicans - Balladeers And Songsters of the Texas Frontier (1999)
01. Moses 'Clear Rock' Platt - St. James Hospital (1:14)
02. Moses 'Clear Rock' Platt - The Old Chilsom Trail (1:09)
03. Pete Harris - Ranging Buffalo (The Buffalo Skinners) (1:06)
04. Lead Belly - Western Cowboy (3:33)
05. Percy Ridge - Western Cowboy (2) (2:11)
06. James 'Iron Head' Baker - St. James Hospital (2) (2:11)
07. Pete Harris - Jack of Diamonds (2:09)
08. Pete Harris - He Rambled (1:15)
09. Lightnin' Washington and work group - My Pretty Little Yellow Gal (My Yellow Gal) (3:15)
10. Unknown axe-cutting group - Pick a Bale of Cotton (1:59)
11. Moses 'Clear Rock' Platt - That's All Right, Baby (4:26)
12. 'Butter Boy' - Old Aunt Dinah (1:25)
13. Pete Harris - Square Dance Calls (Little Liza Jane) (2:16)
14. Smith Casey - East Texas Rag (2:10)
15. The Angelina Quartet - When I Was a Little Boy (2:39)
16. Ace Johnson - Rabbit in the Garden (2:56)
17. Henry Truvillion - Old Aunt Dinah (2) (2:24)
18. Henry Truvillion - Let's Go A-Huntin' (Come on Boys and Lets's Go to Hunting) (1:59)
19. Henry Truvillion - Walk-A-Dolly Walk (1:03)
20. Unknown harmonica player - Fox Chase (1:50)
21. Moses 'Clear Rock' Platt - Old Joe Clark (0:45)
22. Moses 'Clear Rock' Platt - Long Summer Day (1:57)
23. Uncle Billy McCrea - Log Rolling (1:53)
24. Arthur Armstrong - Buzzard Song (Old King Buzzard) (1:44)
25. Phineas Rockmore - Boll Weevil (2:39)
26. Don Mooney - Been on the Cholly So Long (1:05)
27. Will Roseborough and tie-tamping group - The Dallas Railway (1:31)
28. Phineas Rockmore - Traveling Man (3:10)
29. Unknown harmonica player - The Train (2:01)
Georgia - I'm Gonna Make You Happy (2001)
1. Boll Weevil - Blind Willie McTell
2. Dying Crapshooter's Blues - Blind Willie McTell
3. Captain Haney Blues - Camp Morris & Group
4. Po' Laz'us - Male Convict Group (previously unreleased)
5. Longest Train I Ever Saw - Jessie Wadley/John Wadley/Will Jones/Felix Davenport (previously unreleased)
6. Oh Lawdy Me, Oh Lawdy My - Male Convict Group (previously unreleased)
7. Hammer Ring - Paul Sylvester & Group (previously unreleased)
8. Judgement - Camp Morris & Group Of Six Men (previously unreleased)
9. Just as Well Get Ready, You Got to Die - Blind Willie McTell
10. All Night Long - Sophie Wing & Mixed Group (previously unreleased)
11. I Got to Cross the River Jordan - Blind Willie McTell
12. I'm Gonna Make You Happy - Buster Brown
13. Sally Walker - Sidney Stripling (previously unreleased)
14. Coon Ci'nt (Coonjine) - Sidney Stripling (previously unreleased)
15. Breakaway - Sidney Stripling (previously unreleased)
16. Sevassafool (Sebastopol) - Gus Gibson/Sidney Stripling
17. John Henry - Reese Crenshaw (previously unreleased)
18. Fast Train - John Lee Thomas
19. Poor Joe Breakdown - Robert Davis (previously unreleased)
20. War Song - Buster Brown
21. Southern Rag - James Sneed/J.F Duffey/Alvin Sanders
22. Smithy Rag - Smith Band
Louisiana - Catch That Train and Testify! (2004)
1. Hallelujah (Lamb on the Altar) - Washington Brown & Group
2. New Calvary - Washington Brown & Group
3. Lord, Lord Shorty - Joe Brown & Group (Washington)
4. Good Lord - Joe Brown & Group (Washington)
5. Catch That Train - Sam Ballard
6. Big Leg Ida - Sam Ballard
7. Julie Montgomery - Unidentified Male Section Group
8. Bye-Bye, Bonsoir, Mes Parents - Paul Junius Malveaux/Ernest Lafitte
9. J'ai Fait Tout le Tour du Pays - Jimmy Peters/Ring Dance Singers
10. La-Bas Chez Moreau - Cleveland Benoit/Darby Hicks
11. Je Veux Me Marier - Jimmy Peters/Ring Dance Singers
12. Moi Malheureux - Joe Massie
13. Si Li, Le Bat - Joe Massie
14. Bonsoir, Petit Monde - Paul Julius Malveaux/Ernest Lafitte
15. Zydeco Pas Salee - Anderson Moss & Group
16. Allons a LaFayette - Anderson Moss & Group
17. Goodnight Irene - Huddie Ledbetter
18. Mama Did You Bring Me Any Silver - Huddie Ledbetter
19. Little Liza Jane - Stavin' Chain & String Band
20. Trench Blues - John Bray
21. Baton Rouge Rag - Joe Harris
22. Winding Boy - Jelly Roll Morton
23. Tiger Rag - Jelly Roll Morton
Mississippi - Saints and Sinners - From Before the Blues and Gospel (1999)
1. Big Charlie Butler - It's Better To Be Born Lucky 1:28
Vocals - Big Charlie Butler
2. Lucious Curtis & Willie Ford - Stagolee 1:41
Guitar - Willie Ford
Guitar, Vocals - Lucious Curtis
3. Thomas "Jaybird" Jones - Walking Billy 4:08
Piano, Voice - Thomas "Jaybird" Jones
Voice - Alan Lomax
4. Joe Shores - Mississippi Sounding Calls 2:52
Vocals, Voice - Joe Shores
Voice - Herbert Halpert
5. Jim Henry - Come Here, Dog, And Get Your Bone 2:24
Vocals - Jim Henry
Voice - John A. Lomax
6. Sid Hemphill - Emmaline, Take Your Time 2:18
Panpipes [Quills], Vocals - Sid Hemphill
Voice - Alan Lomax
7. Sid Hemphill , Alec Askew , Lucious Smith & Will Head - Hog Hunt 4:42
Banjo - Lucius Smith
Bass Drum - Will Head
Fiddle, Vocals - Sid Hemphill
Guitar - Alec Askew
8. Will Starks - The Fox Hunter's Song 2:48
Vocals - Will Starks
9. Lucious Curtis & Willie Ford - Times Is Getting Hard 3:45
Guitar - Willie Ford
Guitar, Vocals - Lucious Curtis
10. Big Charlie Butler - Diamond Joe 2:15
Vocals - Big Charlie Butler
11. Crap Eye - One Morning At The Break Of Day (Wake Up Song) 1:55
Vocals, Percussion - Crap Eye
12. Jim Henry & Jeff Webster - Workin' On The Levee, Sleepin' On De Ground 1:37
Vocals - Jim Henry
Voice - Jeff Webster
13. Joe Miller & Jim Henry - Lord, I'm In Trouble 2:33
Vocals - Jim Henry , Joe Miller
14. Dobie Red - Stewball 5:15
Lead Vocals - Dobie Red
Vocals - Unknown Artist
15. Dobie Red - Rosie 2:45
Lead Vocals - Dobie Red
Vocals - Unknown Artist
16. Frank Evans - French Blues 2:13
Guitar, Vocals - Frank Evans
17. Reverend C.H. Savage - Rock Daniel 2:31
Lead Vocals - Reverend C.H. Savage
Vocals - Annie Anderson , Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Henry Joiner , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith , Tom Jones
18. Reverend C.H. Savage - Interview 3:08
Voice - Alan Lomax , Reverend C.H. Savage
19. Henry Joiner & Annie Anderson - Hallelu, Hallelu 2:26
Lead Vocals - Annie Anderson , Henry Joiner
Vocals - Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith , Tom Jones
20. Reverend C.H. Savage - I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray 1:05
Lead Vocals - Reverend C.H. Savage
Vocals - Annie Anderson , Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Henry Joiner , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith , Tom Jones
21. Henry Joiner - Conversion Experience 4:33
Voice - Henry Joiner
22. Reverend C.H. Savage - Let Me Ride 3:50
Lead Vocals - Reverend C.H. Savage
Vocals - Annie Anderson , Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Henry Joiner , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith , Tom Jones
23. Deacon Tom Jones & Reverend C.H. Savage - If I Had My Way, I'd Tear The Building Down 4:10
Lead Vocals - Reverend C.H. Savage , Deacon Tom Jones
Vocals - Annie Anderson , Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Henry Joiner , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith
24. Deacon Tom Jones & Reverend C.H. Savage - Little David 3:28
Lead Vocals - Reverend C.H. Savage , Deacon Tom Jones
Vocals - Annie Anderson , Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Henry Joiner , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith
25. Reverend C.H. Savage - Calvary 3:26
Lead Vocals - Reverend C.H. Savage
Vocals - Annie Anderson , Caroline Joiner , Charlie Drakes , Fannie Jackson , Henry Joiner , Hester Jones , James Clark , Joycie Stith , Louise Smith , Tom Jones
South Carolina - Got the Keys to the Kingdom (2002)
1. Run, Mary, Run - Martha Wright, Lillie Cogswell Knox & Albertina Keith 3:20
2. John Write a Letter This Morning - Hannah Besselieu & Mittie Docter 2:07
3. Keep Workin' on a Building - Martha Wright & Lillie Cogswell Knox 1:14
4. Heaven Is a Beautiful Place, I Know - Hannah Besselieu & Mittie Docter 1:35
5. Right Down Here - Michael Maybank, John White, Francis Gadsden & Esau Sands 1:50
6. Ezekiel and the Dry Bones - John Simmons, Michael Maybank, John White, Francis Gadsden & Esau Sands 3:59
7. Daniel in the Lion's Den - Lillie Knox & Thelma Knox 2:10
8. Leprosy (Nicodemus) - Zack Knox 1:09
9. A Long Grave and a Short Grave - Zack Knox 2:49
10. Listen to the Roll - Zack Knox 1:27
11. When the Roll Is Called Again - Martha Wright, Lillie Knox & The Congregation of Jerusalem Baptist Church 1:33
12. Dead and Gone - Elsie Jenkins & Pearson's Funeral Home Choir 2:35
13. Gonna Take a Ride on the Chariot Wheel - D.W. White & Pearson's Funeral Home Choir 1:51
14. Got the Keys to the Kingdom - Lillie Knox 2:00
15. (Some of These Days) I'm Gonna Down to the River of Jordan - Zack Knox 2:20
16. Wants to Be in Heaven When the First Trumpet Sounds - Lillie Knox & Thelma Knox 2:56
17. I Have a Mother Gone to Glory Over Yonder's Ocean - Minnie Floyd & John A. Lomax 2:13
18. I'm Troubled About My Soul - Lillie Knox 2:23
19. Bye-O-Baby - Tina "Mom" Russell 1:32
20. Shoo Robin - Cecil, Martha, Edmond & Robert Owens 0:46
21. Ten Pound Hammer - John Simmons, Michael Maybank, John White, Francis Gadsden & Esau Sands 1:25
22. Oh Lordy Me, Oh Lordy My - J.M. Williams and Group 1:52
23. I Sure Can't Stand It Long - Luther Mack, Tommy Miller, William Long & Julius Harmon 3:13
24. Look Down That Long Lonesome Road - [unknown] 1:28
25. Tally Rally Devil - Willie James Skinner 2:17
26. The Downward Road - Jim Williams and Group 2:15
27. Where Is the Gambling Man? - Jim Williams and Group 2:54
28. Ain't but the One Train Run This Track (All Night Long) - D.W. White & Pearson's Funeral Home Choir 3:15
29. Honey in the Rock - D.W. White & Pearson's Funeral Home Choir 2:11
Virginia And The Piedmont - Minstrelsy, Work Songs And Blues (2000)
1. Old Dan Tucker - Golden Gate Quartet
2. Corn-Shucking Time - Jimmie Strothers
3. Jaybird - Jimmie Strothers
4. Georgia Land - Jimmie Owens
5. I Used To Work On A 'Tractor - Jimmie Strothers
6. Wild Ox Moan - Rollie Lee Johnson
7. Boll Weevil - Willie Williams
8. Po' Farmer - Lemuel Jones
9. Fox Chase - Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee
10. I'll Go On - Joe Lee
11. I Feel The Spirit Moving - Michael Lewis And Group
12. We're Almost Down To The Shore - Jimmie Strothers
13. This Land Of Georgia - Joe Lee
14. Can't Hide - unknown
15. Noah And The Flood - Norman Haskins
16. Run, Sinner, Run - Golden Gate Quartet
17. Take This Hammer - Jimmie Strothers
18. Walk Down, Devils - James Wilson And Group
19. Railroad Wreck - Wille Williams
20. Bitin' Spider - Willie Williams And Group
21. John Henry - Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee
22. Tin Can Alley - Ezra Lewis
23. Pick 'Em Up - Albert Shepherd And Group
24. Prison Blues - Robert Higgins
25. Every Mail Day - J. Kirby And Group
26. When I Lie Down Last Night - Blind Joe
27. Worried Blues - Sonny Terry
28. Going To Richmond - Jimmie Strothers
