Rhino's Troubadours of British Folk series, encompassing three volumes, four decades, 49 songs, and almost as many performers, is a model genre retrospective. For those who want a representative collection of the style's highlights, it covers virtually all of the major performers and innovators of British folk, represented by their best-known (and usually best) songs. For those who want an introduction/guide to the form, it's equally useful, serving as an excellent foundation to build upon if you're motivated to seek out more albums by these performers after an initial taste. Volume One covers the mid-'50s to the early '70s, encompassing skiffle (Lonnie Donegan), elder statespersons (Ewan MacColl), virtuoso guitarists (Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy), traditional singers (Jean Redpath, Shirley & Dolly Collins), singer-songwriters (Donovan), and early efforts by the major players of British folk-rock (Fairport Convention, Pentangle, The Incredible String Band, Steeleye Span). Then there are names which are virtually unknown these days in the States, like the Young Tradition, Anne Briggs, and Wizz Jones. Along with some expected classics (Fairport's "Fotheringay," Donegan's "Rock Island Line," Jansch's "Needle of Death") are some rare coveted treasures, like MacColl's "Dirty Old Town" (eventually covered by The Pogues) and Graham's "Angi" (popularized by Simon & Garfunkel). The liner notes, with quotes from many of the artists and extensive commentary, are great, as they are for each volume of the series.
Volume 1 - Unearthing The Tradition
1 Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line 2:28
2 Ewan MacColl - Dirty Old Town 2:45
3 The Ian Campbell Folk Group - Down in the Coal Mine 2:32
4 Ray Fisher & Archie Fisher - Kilbogie 3:06
5 Davy Graham - Angi 2:25
6 Donovan - Colours 2:42
7 Jean Redpath - Love Is Teasin' 3:55
8 The Watersons - I Am a Rover 5:00
9 A.L. Lloyd - The Two Magicians 4:43
10 The Young Tradition - Lyke Wake Dirge 2:48
11 Martin Carthy - Famous Flower of Serving Men 9:22
12 Bert Jansch - Needle of Death 3:20
13 Anne Briggs - Blackwaterside 3:51
14 The Incredible String Band - First Girl I Loved 4:55
15 Shirley & Dolly Collins - Rambleaway 4:22
16 The Pentangle - Let No Man Steal Your Thyme 2:46
17 Robin and Barry Dransfield - Trees They Do Grow High 5:02
18 Fairport Convention - Fotheringay 3:06
19 Wizz Jones - American Land 2:55
20 Steeleye Span - Skewball 3:31
Volume 2 - Folk Into Rock
01. Fairport Convention - Matty Groves (8:11)
02. Mr. Fox - Mr. Fox (4:50)
03. Shirley Collins, The Albion Country Band - Murder Of Maria Marten (7:26)
04. Traffic - John Barleycorn (6:26)
05. Nick Drake - Three Hours (6:14)
06. Fotheringay - Banks Of The Nile (8:07)
07. Roy Harper - Tom Tiddler's Ground (Edited Version) (6:11)
08. Ralph McTell - Streets Of London (4:10)
09. Amazing Blondel - Toye (3:28)
10. Lindisfarne - Fog On The Tyne (3:26)
11. Steeleye Span - All Around My Hat (4:10)
12. Barry Dransfield, Dave Mattacks, Ashley Hutchings, John Kirkpatrick, Richard Thompson - Cuckoo's Nest (5:33)
13. Richard & Linda Thompson - Night Comes In (8:09)
Volume 3 - The Evolving Tradition
01. Maddy Prior, June Tabor - The Grey Funnel Line (3:03)
02. Dougie MacLean - Caledonia (5:01)
03. Silly Wizard - The Broom of the Cowden Knowes (6:21)
04. The Tannahill Weavers - Tae the Weavers Gin Ye Gang/The Blackberry Bush (3:15)
05. Dick Gaughan - Erin-Go-Bragh (4:28)
06. Nic Jones - Canadee-I-O (5:56)
07. June Tabor - She Moves Among Men (The Barmaid's Song) (3:34)
08. Martin Simpson - Icarus (4:10)
09. Billy Bragg - Between the Wars (2:29)
10. The Proclaimers - Letter From America (Band Version) (4:00)
11. Runrig - Dance Called America (4:32)
12. Home Service - Sorrow/Babylon (8:25)
13. Oyster Band - Moving On (3:45)
14. Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (Acoustic, Ventura Show) (4:33)
15. Mouth Music - Bratach Bana (4:49)
16. Eliza Carthy, Nancy Kerr - Bonny Light Horseman/Michael Turner's Waltz(7:15)
