WHO WAS HARRY SMITH?: THE GREAT DELINEATOR AND HIS ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC
Who was Harry Smith? The short answer about the 20th century polymath and hustler might be divined in his legendary 1952 Anthology of American Folk Music, an LP collection of mostly Southern US folk songs from 78rpm records. “The Anthology” established a cult of listening and influenced popular and folk revival artists from John Sebastian and the New Lost City Ramblers to rockers like Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead and Beck. We’ll talk with Smith biographer John Szwed about Harry’s life as an artist, record collector and 1950’s bohemian. Then, old and new covers of the Anthology and its B-sides from Gillian Welch, Bob Dylan, Gatemouth Brown and Amythyst Kiah.
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: Sail Away Ladies Uncle Bunt Stephens
Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian Folkways
Down on Penny's Farm The Bently Boys
Anthology of American Folk Music Volume One, Smithsonian Folkways
Down on Penny's Farm Natalie Merchant
The House Carpenter's Daughter, Myth America Records
Segment: Who is Harry Smith?
Instrumental: Memphis Shakedown Memphis Jug Band
The Cornshucker’s Frolic: Classic Recordings From the 1920’s & 30’s, Vol. 2, Yazoo
Segment: Record Collecting and the Anthology of American Folk Song
New New Minglewood Blues Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead, Warner
Last Fair Deal Gone Down Beck
The Harry Smith Project Live, Craft
Instrumental: Dallas Rag New Lost City Ramblers
The Early Years, 1958-1962, Smithsonian Folkways
Segment: Harry Smith’s reflections
John Hardy was a Desperate Little Man Carter Family
Anthology of American Folk Music Vol 1, Smithsonian Folkways
John Hardy Alvin Youngblood Hart
Territory, Rykodisc
Segment: Harry Smith’s legacy
End Bed: The Moonshiner's Dance Part Two Frank Cloutier and the Victoria Cafe Orchestra
The Harry Smith B-Sides, Dust to Digital
HOUR TWO
Open Bed: Stackalee (Instrumental version) Frank Hutchison
The Harry Smith B-Sides, Dust to Digital
Spike Driver Blues Mississippi John Hurt
Anthology of American Folk Music Vol 3, Smithsonian Folkways
Spike Driver Blues Marianne Faithful
The Harry Smith Project Live, Craft
Poor Boy Long Way from Home Bukka White
The Sonet Blues Story, Universal
Poor Boy Long Way from Home Black Keys
Delta Kream, Nonesuch
When That Great Ship Went Down The Dixieaires
The Greatest Spirituals: Vol. 2-1946-1951, Time
Instrumental: Charles Giteau Norman Blake
Songs of the Hills: Appalachian Classics, Shanachie
Charles Giteau Kelly Harrel
Anthology of American Folk Music Vol 1, Smithsonian Folkways
Bandit Cole Younger Edward Crain
Anthology of American Folk Music Vol 1, Smithsonian Folkways
Outlaw Blues Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home, Columbia
I Heard the Voice of a Pork Chop Jim Jackson
The Harry Smith B-Sides , Dust to Digital
Fifty Miles of Elbow Room Gillian Welch, David Rawlings & James Alan Shelton
Song for Greta, Rebel Records
Bayou Teche Columbus Fruge
The Harry Smith B-Sides, Dust to Digital
Instrumental: La Danseuse Delma Lachney and Blind Uncle Gaspard
Anthology of American Folk Music Volume 2, Smithsonian Folkways
Storms are on the Ocean Doc Watson & Jean Ritchie
Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson at Folk City, Smithsonian Folkways
Darling Corey Amythyst Kiah
Dig, Amythyst Kiah
Bull-Doze Blues Henry Thomas
The Harry Smith B-Sides, Dust to Digital
Goin' Up the Country Canned Heat
Canned Heat--On the Road Again, Capitol
Royal Telephone Sister Rosetta Tharpe & Marie Knight
The Decca Singles, Vol. 4, UMG
See That My Grave is Kept Clean Gatemouth Brown and Los Super Seven
Heard It On the X, Telarc
Closing Bed: Sugar Baby Bill Frisell
The Best of Bill Frisell, Volume 1: Folk Songs, Nonesuch