Last Wisps of the Old Ways
Last Wisps of the Old Ways: North Carolina Mountain Singing pulls together mountain songs from North Carolina crossing nearly a century. Child ballads, local murder songs, banjo and dulcimer pieces alongside tape transfers & close harmony singing. The star of the compilation, Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill, could have been another Texas Gladden in her own right, but dozens of recordings of herself and her family made in 1939 remained on a shelf in The Library of Congress, until they were unearthed by me and presented on this collection. Mrs. Turbyfill's daughter Nicky also makes a notable appearance here.
This compilation is noteworthy for the inclusion of “Hold Up Your Hand Old Joshua!” She Cried, perhaps the only existent version of Child number 95 which mentions a “golden key” being stolen; most versions of this ballad do not have this verse, and certainly no audio recordings exist with this component. Bolakins was sung from memory by Lena's last living daughter, and Shirley Glenn makes her first recorded appearance on this compilation.
This release was handled by the wonderful label Death Is Not The End, and is available on digital and cassette.
- Mrs. Nicola “Aunt Nicky” Pritchard (Turbyfill) – Bolakins
- Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill – Sourwood Mountain
- Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill – “Hold Up Your Hand Old Joshua!” She Cried
- Mrs. Sabra Bare Hampton – The Royal Band (The Texas Rangers)
- Frank Proffitt – Joshuay
- Charlie Glenn – Poor Ellen Smith
- Mrs. Lloyd Bare Hagie – Rowan County (The Roane Cty. Crew)
- Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill And Mrs. Loyd Bare Hagie – Black Jack Davy
- Shirley Glenn – Rose Conlee
- Mrs. Nicola “Aunt Nicky” Pritchard (Turbyfill) – Frankie & Johnny
- Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill and Frank Bare – Tom Dooley
- Mrs. Sabra Bare Hampton – Lily Shull
- Charlie Glenn – Red River Valley
- Marshall Ward – Red River Valley
- Marshall Ward – Cindy
- Mrs. Lloyd Bare Hagie and Mrs. Lloyd Bare Hagie – Cumberland Gap
Curated by Derek Piotr. Photograph of Mrs. Nicola “Aunt Nicky” Pritchard (Turbyfill) by Derek Piotr.
