In the wake of Woody Guthrie’s death in 1967, “Woody’s children” – as daughter Nora Guthrie calls them – gathered at Carnegie Hall in 1968 and the Hollywood Bowl in 1970 to celebrate his life and music.
These musical progeny were legends in the making, including Bob Dylan and the Band, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Richie Havens, Tom Paxton and many more, all demonstrating the lessons they learned from Woody.
Bear Records has released an extraordinary document – a better term than box set in this instance- that captures both concerts, and includes almost 80 tracks, recorded remembrances and two substantive illustrated books. It’s pretty special to hear the Band before its “Big Pink” album debut backing up Dylan on “Grand Coulee Dam,” “Dear Mrs. Roosevelt” and “I Ain’t Got No Home,” but there are treasures throughout.
We don’t often post trailers on our site, but this Bear Family video nicely captures what’s so special about this set:
Tag: Woody Guthrie
Review: “Woody Guthrie American Radical Patriot”
By Ken Paulson
I thought I had a pretty good sense of Woody Guthrie. I’d read the books, listened to the music and even watched a mediocre film biography starring David Carradine.
But all of that pales next to Woody Guthrie: American Radical Patriot, an extraordinary box set that chronicles Guthrie’s work for the U.S. government.
While you wouldn’t expect the politically restless Guthrie to embrace the government, he saw that government could do some good for the poor and he clearly appreciated the paycheck.
The most revelatory aspect of this project is the opening interview with Alan Lomax of the Archive of American Folk Song on a recording made for the Library of Congress. This is Guthrie before he stepped onto the national stage and he talks candidly about his childhood, musical influences and stunning personal tragedies.
The 6-CD collection sounds great, and includes a wide range of performances, including those he wrote while working for the Bonneville Power Administration, plus some venereal disease prevention songs.
Included in this limited edition box is a DVD of “Roll On Columbia,” a fascinating University of Oregon documentary about Guthrie’s stint as a songwriter trying to convey the importance of the Woody Bonneville Dam Project .
The box set also features a 60-page booklet (and a full-length version on an included PDF) and a 78 of Bob Dylan singing Guthrie’s “VD City” and Guthrie’s home recording of “The Biggest Thing That Man Has Ever Done.”
This Rounder Records release epitomizes a great box set: rare recordings, insightful documentation, multi-layered content and artful packaging. Highly recommended.
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Reviews: Jason Heath, Jerry Reed, Mike + Ruthy, Stilson Greene
Quick hits in Americana, folk and country music:
Packed for Exile – Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls: When you hear that a band named itself after a passage in the Old Testament, you don’t expect the energetic, often raucous mix of folk and American found on Packed for Exile. There’s a lot of Bruce Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions here, songs with a social conscience and a dancer’s heart. The Springsteen connection isn’t exactly happenstance; Danny Federici’s son Jason plays accordion and organ with the Greedy Souls. Highlights include “Sacred Geometry,” “#1 with a Bullet” and “California Wine.”
The Unbelievable Guitar and Voice of Jerry Reed / Nashvillle Underground – Jerry Reed: This new Real Gone Music collection of Jerry Reed’s first two albums is one revelation after another. Before he became Burt Reynolds’ sidekick in the Smokey and the Bandit movies, Reed was already a fine guitarist, session player and songwriter.
Reed wrote “U.S. Male, a bit of bragadoccio that became a hit for Elvis Presley in 1968 and “Guitar Man,” a recurring musical element in Elvis’ 1969 comeback special. Both songs are on this collection.
Beyond those biographical hits are Reed’s efforts at country-flavored pop. The lyrics to “You’re Young” may make you gag – it seems that this young lady is just too good for this guy – but the production is terrific and sounds as fresh as the lyrics sound dated.
The package also includes Reed’s ” A Thing Called Love,” which became one of Johnny Cash’s big hits in 1971.
The NYC EP – Mike + Ruthy: At the heart of this husband-and-wife duo’s new EP is “My New York City,” a song written around unrecorded lyrics from the Woody Guthrie archives. I’m always left wondering how much Guthrie DNA is still in a song once it’s finished and married to a melody, but the harmony-laden results here are so pleasing that you won’t care. Other highlights: “Romance in the Dark” amd “Raise Your Glasses High.”
Young Lions – Stilson Greene: Young Lions began with a single song. Stilson Green wanted to record Shenandoah for his ailing father, who loved the song. That track grew into this new album, a highly personal effort that addresses family, friends and relationships.
There’s an appealing sincerity and simplicity throughout. Green talked with Leesburg Today about the origins of Young Lions. You’ll find the interview here. Favorite tracks: “When the Night Falls,” “You (A Song for Tammy)” and “Shenandoah.”
Darrell Scott’s “Long Ride Home” hits #1, Lyle Lovett has top debut
Darrell Scott’s Long Ride Home moves into the top spot on the Americana music airplay chart this week, after a virtual three-way tie at the number one spot last week. The album is being played on 54 stations.
Chart debuts this week include Lyle Lovett’s Release Me at #16, the Chieftains’ Voice of Ages at #24 and New Multitudes, an album of new music and Woody Guthrie lyrics by Jay Farrar, Wil Johnson, Anders Parker and “Yim Yames, “ at #34.
Most added this week: Lovett’s album with 29 stations and Otis Gibbs’ Harder Than Hammered Hell with 13 stations.
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