We continue our look back at the music of 5o years ago…..
Before it had a name…Americana (or roots music) if you prefer, we simply called it folk music. In 1972 noted guitarist Ry Cooder released an eclectic LP of old songs called “Into The Purple Valley” Mining the folk tradition the songs ranged from Woody Guthrie to Leadbelly to Sis Cunningham and George Washington Phillips. But also included a Johnny Cash cover as a blues tune and some old time doo-wop done in a folk style. The record shows not only Cooder’s prowess on a variety of stringed instruments but also his love for this music. He treats each song with reverence but but also throws in a little insouciance to keep the whole thing from sounding pretentious.
I’m going to post original version of each tune and then Cooder’s versions so you can see what he’s done to the arrangements. Some names you may recognize who play on the record include Van Dyke Parks, Claudia Lennear, George Bohanon, Jim Dickinson, Chris Ethridge and Milt Holland.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I did…
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