Appalachain Gothic - Tumblr Posts
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Vest worn by Jean Ritchie made of cloth and ribbon.
Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest, ep. 5 1965
Jean Ritchie performing Shady Grove
Jean Ritchie, The Mother of Folk
Song of the day
do you want the history of your favorite folk song? dm me or submit an ask and I'll do a full rundown
"Polly Vaughn" The Dillards, 1963
"Polly Vaughn"/"Molly Bawn"/ "The Shooting of his Dear" is a traditional Irish folk song that first appeared in print in a 1765 chapbook, as "Molly Bawn"
This Version was first recorded in 1936 by Emma Dusenbur but I couldn't find a digitized version.
The earliest recording I could find was collected by Alan Lomax in 1937 and performed by Aunt Molly Jackson. It was later recorded and performed on the radio in America, the UK, and Canada during the 1940s and 1950s. I had a hard time finding these recordings but here is one from 1954 by Evelyn Skaggs in Arkansas, collected by Mary Celestia Parler. The Dillards version was recorded in 1963, and, in my opinion, is the best version. The pacing and energy of the performance really add to the tragedy and drama of the story. They deliver the horror of a young man accidentally killing his lover as he mistook her for a swan. Other versions are nice but the one by the Dillard's sounds like how the story feels.
Some other notable covers include those by Tia Blake Peter, Paul, and Mary Hedy West
Doc Watson, 1965. Ralph Rinzler papers and audio recordings, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Dry Falls, Nantahala National Forest. My favorite.
Southern Gothic cowboy boots ♰
A post-medieval scale tang knife handle with inscription 'make you bleed' from the 17th - 18th century
Old Sheldon Church Ruins, South Carolina
who is the lamb? and who is the knife?
"Disease" embroidered pillow
seasons may change but we won't change
a girl is a gun
these crosses all over my body