Sounds of the South
9/8/07
Sounds of the South
"Jack of diamonds told
Queen of spades
Gwine with me,
Be on yo creepin way."
--Sleepy John Estes
...Dark day for a Georgia Bulldog fan...failed plans and executions on the gridiron...
...A slow turning continues...lost in back porch revery...seasons change as we all progress into unknown times while an uneasy era pervades the skies like some mysterious undercurrent pulling on the days...
I put on the Atlantic collection, Sounds of the South, this evening to keep an ear on past generations. Released in 1993, Alan Lomax wrote the introduction to this rare collection. This 4 CD gem ranks as a beacon of light in the world of field recording. Each CD represents a different genre of music indigenous to the south such as Blue Ridge Mountain Music, Roots of the Blues, Negro Church Music/White Spirituals and American folk songs for children.
Some of the performers on this indelible collection includes Fred McDowell, the Alabama Sacred Heart Singers, the Mountain Ramblers and Bessie Jones to name a few favorites. This collection captures the essence of farmers, prisoners, jubilee choirs, juke joint dirges, spilled blood, squandered love and country preachers conveying an incandescent message...
Today I completed another round of interview(s) with writer Paul Hemphill. Tomorrow an interview with the fellow who took the photo above. Busy as a bee in a tarbucket on all fronts. Stellar occurrences afoot. When the sun sets shadows creep and mysterious sounds of the south emerge in an eerie darkness...
James Calemine
JCalemine@swampland.com
Related Dispatches
- Still More of The Defining Moments in Southern Rock History
- Vick Still Casts a Long Shadow Over NFL Hopes in Atlanta
- Jimmie Van Zant Delivers His Best Album Yet
- An Ongoing Journey To the Heart of Southern Culture
- Montgomery Gentry (Southern) Rock The Country