Mountain Music Of Kentucky [2-CD Set]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 19, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Smithsonian Folkways
• ASIN: B000001DJN
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,277 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #57 in Music > World Music > North America > Appalachian
  • #79 in Music > Country > Classic Country > Old-Time Country

Editorial Reviews

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The hills were alive!, March 15, 2003

By 

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

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 an entire lyric from a Blind Lemon Jefferson tune, though neither he nor the liner-notes make mention of this. Plus, I will take Roscoe's Wayfaring Stranger over Bill Monroe's any day of the week. All in all, it's good stuff!

Moving on, I personally am not too much for the sets of church tunes, aside from Clap & Shout on disc two. However, there are alot of jewels in the sand of disc two. The highlights of disc two, for me, come in the form of Granville Bowlin's segment, Mrs. Sams solo-vocal Wagoners Lad, James Crase's various fiddle tunes, and Lee Sexton's solo banjo St. Louis Blues and his Pretty Polly that is rather closely related to Bill Cornett's but not as powerful. I just love Mrs. Sams' voice. Everyone has their own aesthetic of what is good and what isn't, and for me, Mrs. Sams is just exactly what a wise old female mountain singer should sound like.

There is such a richness and rugged individuality to all these performances that it just breaks your heart to know that for the most part, these traditions are gone. At least we were lucky enough to have someone like John Cohen roaming the hills and making these priceless recordings for all of us.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ground Zero for Folk and the Nashville Sound, May 24, 2001

By 

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:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely essential, October 5, 2004

By 

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

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.