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Appalachian music and its Scottish and Irish roots



Being that rockabilly music was a theme just a couple of weeks back, I thought I’d stick with Southern roots music for another whirl on the Al compás del mundo (World Beats) tour. Often synonymous with bluegrass music, the Appalachian sound became increasingly of interest to this San Franciscan likely as a result of the Hardly, Strictly Bluegrass festival held yearly in Golden Gate Park. During the three-day run in early October (and with – typically – some of the best weather of the entire year,) five stages present an incredible wealth of musical creativity. And it’s all free. Make the pilgrimage if you can for a mega-dose of blues, country, rock, a little bit of soul and lots of that good ol’ Southern mountain sound. I’ve embraced it to the degree that dueling banjos and plaintive vocals have found their place in the world music collection at the Haas house. And fortunately, I’ve long enjoyed the folk music traditions of Ireland and Scotland. Due to very sizable numbers of Scots-Irish immigrants before the American Revolution and continuing on well into the 19th century, the Appalachian region, where land was plentiful and cheap, supported cultural traits from the motherland. Religious practice, whiskey making, potato farming, linguistic customs, and, of course, music making, allowed the people to maintain their distinctive identity.

I thought I’d be able to link more closely the Old World tunes with New World variations, but mostly I’ve ended up with songs I like regardless of their potential connection. One fascinating link, however, is the John Murdo-Martin-led choir singing a Gaelic psalm. There’s a keening drone effect that perfectly suits the following track by the Stanley Brothers and Roscoe Holcomb intoning a mother’s death at her gravesite. What else will we hear? Military war-time songs of bravery, a drunken sailor sea shanty (classic!), overtures to beautiful lassies, and the praise for glad times amongst the sad times.

Run Liar Al compás del mundo - programa #142, Appalachian music and its Scottish and Irish roots
First broadcast 8-22-2024

 

01 Ola Belle Reed - Undone in Sorrow (USA)

02 Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger - Glasgow Peggy (Scotland and England)

03 Sam Gleaves, Myra Morrison - Sandy River Belle (USA)

04 Luke Kelly - The Foggy Dew (Ireland)

05 Patrick Mc Kloskey - Streams of Whiskey (Ireland)

06 Tom Adams - Three Sailors from Dublin (USA)

07 Levon Helm - Anna Lee (USA)

08 Roscoe Holcomb - Hills of Mexico (USA)

09 John Murdo Martin - Gaelic psalm singing (Scotland)

10 Stanley Brothers with Roscoe Holcomb - Village Churchyard (USA)

11 Clarence Ashley with Doc Watson - Little Sadie (USA)

12 Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger - The Trooper and The Maid (Scotland and England)

13 Daniel Gore - French Broad (USA)

14 The Chieftains - O'Sullivan’s March (Ireland)

15 Irish Rovers - Drunken Sailor (Ireland)



16 Tim O’Brien - Jack of Diamonds (The Drunkard’s Hiccup) (USA)

17 J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers - Run Mountain (USA)

18 Silly Wizard - Donald McGillivray – O’Neill’s Cavalry March (Scotland)

19 Mr Hobart Smith - Cripple Creek (USA)


 


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