New Lost City Ramblers
Encyclopedia
The New Lost City Ramblers is a contemporary old-time
string band that formed in New York City
in 1958 during the Folk Revival
. The founding members of the Ramblers, or NLCR, are Mike Seeger
, John Cohen, and Tom Paley
. Tom Paley
later left the group and was replaced by Tracy Schwarz.
The New Lost City Ramblers not only directly participated in the old-time music
revival, but has continued to directly influence countless musicians who have followed.
. The New Lost City Ramblers refused to "sanitize" these southern sounds as did other folk groups
of the time, such as the Weavers
or Kingston Trio. Instead, the Ramblers have always strived for an authentic sound. However, the Ramblers did not merely copy the old recordings that inspired them. Rather, they would use the various old-time
styles they encountered while at the same time not becoming slaves to imitation.
On Songs From the Depression, the New Lost City Ramblers performed a variety of political contemporary popular songs from the New Deal days, all but one of them taken from commercially issued 78s, and that one is "Keep Moving," identified in the album notes only as "from Tony Schwartz' collection — singer unidentified" when actually it is by Agnes "Sis" Cunningham, the full title being "How Can You Keep On Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)." The omission later caused Ry Cooder
, who listened to the Ramblers album, to record the song as Traditional on the first edition of his Into the Purple Valley
album, an omission he gladly corrected when informed of it. Cooder also covered another song from the same New Lost City Ramblers album, which he may have heard on a poorly labeled cassette copy: "Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All" which the New Lost City Ramblers credit to Fiddling John Carson but which the Cooder notes still list as "traditional."
The New Lost City Ramblers' extensive recordings for the Folkways
label, after the death of Moe Asch, became part of the Smithsonian Institution
, which reissues Folkways titles on CD.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
string band that formed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1958 during the Folk Revival
American folk music revival
The American folk music revival was a phenomenon in the United States that began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Richard Dyer-Bennett, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, John Jacob...
. The founding members of the Ramblers, or NLCR, are Mike Seeger
Mike Seeger
Mike Seeger was an American folk musician and folklorist. He was a distinctive singer and an accomplished musician who played autoharp, banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, guitar, mouth harp, mandolin, dobro, jaw harp, and pan pipes. Seeger, a half-brother of Pete Seeger, produced more than 30 documentary...
, John Cohen, and Tom Paley
Tom Paley
Tom Paley is an American guitarist, banjo and fiddle player. He is best known for his work with the New Lost City Ramblers in the 1950s and 1960s.-Biography:Paley was born and raised in New York City, United States...
. Tom Paley
Tom Paley
Tom Paley is an American guitarist, banjo and fiddle player. He is best known for his work with the New Lost City Ramblers in the 1950s and 1960s.-Biography:Paley was born and raised in New York City, United States...
later left the group and was replaced by Tracy Schwarz.
The New Lost City Ramblers not only directly participated in the old-time music
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
revival, but has continued to directly influence countless musicians who have followed.
Career
The Ramblers distinguished themselves by focusing on the traditional playing styles they heard on old 78rpm records of musicians recorded during the 1920s and 1930s, many of whom had earlier appeared on the Anthology of American Folk MusicAnthology of American Folk Music
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records , comprising eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued from 1927 to 1932.Experimental filmmaker and notable eccentric Harry Smith compiled the music...
. The New Lost City Ramblers refused to "sanitize" these southern sounds as did other folk groups
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
of the time, such as the Weavers
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
or Kingston Trio. Instead, the Ramblers have always strived for an authentic sound. However, the Ramblers did not merely copy the old recordings that inspired them. Rather, they would use the various old-time
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
styles they encountered while at the same time not becoming slaves to imitation.
On Songs From the Depression, the New Lost City Ramblers performed a variety of political contemporary popular songs from the New Deal days, all but one of them taken from commercially issued 78s, and that one is "Keep Moving," identified in the album notes only as "from Tony Schwartz' collection — singer unidentified" when actually it is by Agnes "Sis" Cunningham, the full title being "How Can You Keep On Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)." The omission later caused Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
, who listened to the Ramblers album, to record the song as Traditional on the first edition of his Into the Purple Valley
Into the Purple Valley
Into the Purple Valley is the second album by roots rock legend Ry Cooder, released in 1972 .-Track listing:#"How Can You Keep Moving " – 2:25#"Billy the Kid" – 3:45...
album, an omission he gladly corrected when informed of it. Cooder also covered another song from the same New Lost City Ramblers album, which he may have heard on a poorly labeled cassette copy: "Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All" which the New Lost City Ramblers credit to Fiddling John Carson but which the Cooder notes still list as "traditional."
The New Lost City Ramblers' extensive recordings for the Folkways
Folkways Records
Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
label, after the death of Moe Asch, became part of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, which reissues Folkways titles on CD.
Discography
- The New Lost City Ramblers (1958) (Folkways RecordsFolkways RecordsFolkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
) - The New Lost City Ramblers Vol. II (1959) (Folkways)
- Songs From the Depression (1959): see http://www.folkways.si.edu/search/AlbumDetails.aspx?ID=953 (Folkways)
- Old-Timey Songs For Children (1959) (Folkways)
- The New Lost City Ramblers Vol. III (1961) (Folkways)
- Tom Paley, John Cohen, Mike Seeger Sing Songs of The New Lost City Ramblers (1961)
- The New Lost City Ramblers (1961)
- Earth Is Earth Sung by The New Lost City Bang Boys (1961) (Folkways)
- The New Lost City Ramblers Vol. 4 (1962) (Folkways)
- American Moonshine & Prohibition (1962) (Folkways)
- The New Lost City Ramblers Vol. 5 (1963) (Folkways)
- Gone to the Country (1963)
- Radio Special # 1 (1963)
- The New New Lost City Ramblers with Tracy Schwarz: Gone to the Country (1963) (Folkways)
- String Band Instrumentals (1964) (Folkways)
- Old Timey Music (1964)
- Rural Delivery No. 1 (1965) (Folkways)
- Remembrance of Things to Come (1966) (Folkways)
- Modern Times (1968) (Folkways)
- The New Lost City Ramblers with Cousin Emmy (1968) (Folkways)
- On the Great Divide (1973) (Folkways)
- 20th Anniversary Concert (1978)
- 20 Years-Concert Performances (1978)
- Tom Paley, John Cohen, and Mike Seeger Sing Songs of the New Lost City Ramblers (1978) (Folkways)
- Old Time Music (1994)
- The Early Years, 1958-1962 (1991) (Folkways)
- Out Standing In Their Field-Vol. II, 1963-1973 (1993) (Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
) - There Ain't No Way Out (1997) (Folkways)
- 40 Years of Concert Performances (2001)
External links
- Illustrated New Lost City Ramblers discography
- Illustrated Tom Paley discography
- Discography at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
- Interview with John Cohen & Tom Paley - 50th year of NLCR
- new (2009) documentary film about the New Lost City Ramblers, with Mike Seeger, John Cohen, Tom Paley, Tracy Schwarz and many others
- NPR Radio Piece about 50th Anniversary of the New Lost City Ramblers