Customer Reviews

Ballad & Folksinger 3

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm very partial to Pink Anderson because he's my homeboy from Spartanburg SC (where I was born) and i know his son (whose featured on the cover) very well. That aside, this is a good collection because it preserves some good ballads that are almost forgotten today. As well as "John Henry," I love his rendition of the "Titanic" song (Wasn't it sad when that great ship went down). Enjoy.

Another of the albums that Anderson recorded for Bluesville in 1961, it contains an interesting range of materials form his extensive repertoire. "Betty & Dupree" is a fine performance, as is "Sugar Babe", but my favorite is "Boweevil". Anderson's version of this classic cotton farmers' lament is performed with enormous gusto - listen to that guitar!

An enjoyable album.

On "The Titanic", "Betty And Dupree" and "John Henry", the subtle Pink Anderson crafts beautiful lyrics. His guitar playing is complex, though not played at a fast pace, and his singing is homely. This is perhaps my favorite of the three discs of his that were released in the post-World War II era. The version of "John Henry" on this album is up there with Furry Lewis' version from his wonderful "Shake 'Em On Down" album. I strongly recommend picking up this disc, as it serves as a reminder of the black ballad tradition that was nearly extinguished by the Blues, as the liner notes keenly mention.