Old-Time Music From West Virginia (1927-1929)

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 18, 1997)
• Original Release Date: April 22, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Document
• ASIN: B000000JJK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #342,125 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful historical recordings, September 23, 2001

By 

Lee Hartsfeld (Central Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old-Time Music From West Virginia (1927-1929) (Audio CD)

These are superb vintage bluegrass and blues numbers performed by "old-time" white artists of prodigious talent. The Williamson Brothers and Curry steal the show, for this listener, with their perpetual-motion bluegrass highlighted by the wonderful train song "Cumberland Gap" ("Can't find water to wash your face") and "Gonna Die with My Hammer In My Hand," a superior version of "John Henry" featuring a backbeat that cries out for, but does just fine without, some Sun Studio echo. Dick Justice, a guitar-and-vocal master of many vocal timbres, plays blues and circle-of-fifths ballads that would have sounded at home thirty years later at Woodstock. In fact, on the number "Henry Lee," a compendium of murder-ballad motifs, Justice sounds enough like Bob Dylan to BE Bob Dylan. Frank Hutchison, every bit as nimble in his ragtime-style picking and a gifted slide guitarist to boot, growls his way through less colorful, but equally fun, ballads, highlighted by "The Chevrolet Six," which he portrays as the moonshiner's getaway car of choice. The sound quality is mostly very good, and astounding in spots. The tiny number of badly-worn sides are, I'd assume, in such condition owing to their rarity. We should rejoice that this wonderful music has survived at all. Get this!

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grandmas Old Arm Chair, October 25, 2002

By 

Helen Williamson (Inman, South Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old-Time Music From West Virginia (1927-1929) (Audio CD)

I am very lucky to have grown up with this music in my life. My Dad and Uncle would be so pleased and happy to know of the appreciation shown to their efforts. I am the daughter of Ervin,who sings lead and plays guitar, and the neice of Arnold who played fiddle on these recordings. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved in finding and publishing this music. Gratefully, Helen Williamson