SUPPORT GREAT STORYTELLING
We rely on your support to remain on air and online. Your contribution helps us bring you interviews with great American artists and the carefully curated music mix that you’ve enjoyed over the years.
Donate
AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM
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?
Listen - 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
Listen - 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
Listen - 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
Listen - 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
