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For three decades Music Maker Foundation has sought out the country’s unsung, tending the roots of American music - this new 143-page book, proudly co-published by No Depression, is accompanied by an 85 song, four-CD compilation from various artists drawn from over 200 releases in the MMF catalog.
Song Keepers is Music Maker Foundation’s sixth book chronicling their innovative methods of preserving and nurturing American music. The book contains interviews with figures integral to the development of Music Maker like roots musicians Taj Mahal, Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens, and distinguished Folklorist-Former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities William Ferris. Song Keepers is dotted with portraits of the musicians, artists, and street philosophers who’ve travelled with the foundation. And it features 100 stunning photographs, both striking black-and-white tintypes and luminous color images.
As for the music, the four discs of the box-set map an entire underground world of contemporary roots. The collection represents figures from the earliest days of Music Maker’s founding, guitarists like Guitar Gabriel, Drink Small, and Cootie Stark, to the vibrant contemporary work of young gospel singers Faith & Harmony. It abounds with rare (Walker Calhoun’s Cherokee-language take on “Amazing Grace”), previously unreleased (David Butler’s “Poor Boy”) and obscure tracks (Ironing Board Sam’s Allen Toussaint-produced “Man on the Street”), and stone-cold classics from established legends like Etta Baker.
Disc 1—Snap Your Fingers: Acoustic Blues
- Guitar Gabriel, Landlord Blues
- Alvin Youngblood Hart, Livin’ in a Strain
- Adolphus Bell, Black Man’s Dream
- Skeeter Brandon, Blues Hangover
- Rufus McKenzie, Slavery Time Blues
- George Higgs, Greasy Greens
- Big Boy Henry, Walkin’ Night & Day
- Gail Ceasar, Guitar Woman Blues
- Shelton Powe, Shake ’Em on Down
- Neal Pattman, Disco Twist
- Captain Luke, Freight Train Boogie
- Cora Mae Bryant, Yo-yo Daddy
- Precious Bryant, If You Don’t Love Me, Would You Fool Me Good
- Cootie Stark, High Yellow
- Willa Mae Buckner, Peter Rumpkin
- JW Warren, Have You Seen Corinna?
- David Butler, Poor Boy
- John Lee Zeigler, Pretty Little Shoes
- Captain Luke, Chokin’ Kind
- Algia Mae Hinton, Snap Your Fingers
- Mr. Q, We Three
- Albert Smith, Biscuit Roller
- Etta Baker, Carolina Breakdown
Disc 2—Back in Business: Electric Blues
- Sol Roots, Intro
- Sonny Boy King, Came Home This Morning
- Jerry “Boogie” McCain, Where You Been?
- Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, Back in Business
- John Dee Holeman, Chapel Hill Boogie
- Lee Gates, You Gotta Love Me Baby
- Robert Finley, I Just Want to Tell You
- Alabama Slim, Please Leave My Money Alone
- Aretta Woodruff, Trapped
- Ironing Board Sam, Man of the Street
- Dr. Burt, Clock on the Wall
- George Connor, Brother’s Tone
- Hermon Hitson, Let the Gods Sing
- Leonard “Lowdown” Brown, Find a Bridge
- Albert White, A Rose for My Lady
- James Davis, Georgia Drumbeat
- Eddie Tigner, Route 66
- Sweet Betty, PARTY
Disc 3—No Ways Tired: Sacred Soul and Gospel
- Glorifying Vines Sisters, Pray for Me
- Johnny Ray Daniels, Glory, Glory
- Bishop Albert Harrison, Shake Me
- Dedicated Men of Zion, Lord Hold My Hand
- Legendary Singing Stars, At the Gate
- Theotis Taylor, Something Within Me
- Willie Farmer, At the Meeting
- Faith & Harmony, Victory
- Como Mamas, I Got Jesus
- Blind Butch, No Ways Tired
- Johnny Ray Daniels, Somewhere to Lay My Head
- Bishop Dready Manning, Gospel Train
- The Goins, Ain’t No Grave
- Guitar Gabriel and Lucille Lindsay, Do You Know What It Means to Have a Friend?
- Drink Small and Cootie Stark, Drinkin’ the Wine
- Elder Anderson Johnson, God Don’t Like It
- Lena Mae Perry and the Branchettes, One More Day
- First Cosmopolitans, Roll Jordan Roll
- Walker Calhoun Family Singers, Amazing Grace
- Essie Mae Brooks, Rain in Your Life
- Etta Baker, If I Could Hear My Mother
- Carl Rutherford, Old Rugged Cross
Disc 4—This Old House: Eclectic Folk
- Cary Morin, You Were There With Me
- Spencer Branch, Blown Back with the Breeze
- Big Ron Hunter, Going for Myself
- Patrick Sky, Many A Mile
- Etta Baker, Johnson Boys
- Preston Fulp, In the Pines
- Paul Geramia, Rising River Blues
- Nee Ningy Band, Fiddler a Dram
- Carolina Chocolate Drops, Cornbread and Butterbeans
- Benton Flippen, Cumberland Gap
- Dom Flemons, Marching Up to Prospect Hill
- Sam Frazier Jr., Cabbage Man
- Jeffrey Scott, Oreo Cookie Blues
- Neal Pattman, Shortnin’ Bread
- Sam Turner Stevens, Cluck Old Hen
- Pura Fé, Della Blackman
- Etta Baker, The Rainbow
- Rhiannon Giddens, Cripple Creek
- Carl Rutherford, Shasta Daylight
- Willie French Lowery, This Old House
- Deer Clan Singers, Pigeon Dance
- Guitar Gabriel, The Story of Old Man Rivers
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