Nearly five years ago, I had my first in depth experience diving into music history with my late mentor Joan Crane. This new record "Folk Songs For Old Time's Sake" is a culmination of what she taught me, and harbors mostly traditional material revisited and rearranged that Joan inspired in me. Some of the songs are by pioneers such as Elizabeth Cotten, The Carter Family, Mississippi John Hurt and Jimmie Rodgers, with the mindset of preserving their legacy and exposing their history to my generation and its successors. After starting the music history podcast "American Songcatcher", my desire for preservation has become a mission, and inside the liner notes of the limited edition vinyl gatefold resides a summary of the song or artists history behind the 14 tracks. This installment is the first of many to come honoring the legacy of American roots music.
Includes unlimited streaming of Folk Songs For Old Times' Sake
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 8 days
edition of 100
$30USDor more
Streaming + Download
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Like so many passed in the oral tradition over centuries, "East Virginia Blues" has many variations and titles, and several verses can be found in other songs that date back to the British Isles centuries ago. As millions of migrants came pouring in between the 16th and 19th century from the Isles, they eventually found their way West into Appalachia, the Ozarks, creating a gumbo of shared cultures, especially music, which had emotional ties to their homeland that would be passed down through generations. This particular tune can be traced to 17th century England, before popping up in America around the Ozark region as "Greenback Dollar", which several versions directly take verses from. Additionally, Asheville, North Carolina's Clarence "Tom" Ashley was one of the first to record a version of the song in his unique 5-string banjo modal tuning, neither minor or major key, as "Dark Holler Blues" in 1928. Not long after, in 1929, came The Carter Family's major key version, which swept through bluegrass, country and folk musicians over the following 40 years and provided the framework of melody and harmony. It's also known as "East Virginny", "Old Virginny" and "Oh Molly Dear", and this rendition is directly inspired by both The Carter Family and Gene Autry's version.
lyrics
I was born in East Virginia
North Carolina I did go
There I spied a fair young maiden
And her name I did not know
And her hair was dark and curly
And her cheeks were rosy red
Upon her breast she wore white lilies
Where I longed to lay my head
Molly dear, go ask your mother
If you my bride might ever be
If she says no, come back and tell me
And I'll run away with thee
No I'll not go ask my mother
Cause she lies on her bed of rest
In her hand she holds that dagger
She’ll kill the man I love best
I don't want your greenback dollar
I don't want your watch and chain
All I want is you my darling
Say you'll take me back again
I'd rather be in some dark holler
Where the sun refuse to shine
Than for you to be another man's darlin'
And to know you'll never be mine
credits
from Folk Songs For Old Times' Sake,
released November 2, 2021
Nicholas Williams - Guitar, Vocals
Jade Watts - Upright Bass, Harmony
Emma Dubose - Fiddle, Harmony
Host of the music history podcast
"American Songcatcher", Nicholas is a 37 year-old multi-instrumentalist and
storyteller who is dedicated to playing it forward by preserving the songs and styles that have shaped America: ragtime, Piedmont blues, traditional folk, old time and early country. He's opened for Taj Mahal and The Wood Brothers.
“Beautifully uplifting and rootsy…” - Folk Radio UK...more
Sweet harmonies & strummed melodies; the duo delve into decades-old folk, jazz, and country to find a timeless kind of love and connection. Bandcamp New & Notable May 23, 2018
This album speaks to the continuum of African diasporic culture that is central to the vibrant canon of Americana folk music. Bandcamp Album of the Day May 29, 2020
The Alabama duo's fifth album exults in dusty Americana, showcasing rich vocal harmonies alongside blissful folk instrumentation. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 31, 2024
