Another disc in the fine
Virginia Traditions
series assembled by the Blue Ridge Institute for Appalachian Studies at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia,
Southwest Virginia Blues
brings together 1920s commercial 78s with
field recordings
done in the 1930s and '40s, plus more recent field material from the '70s and '80s, to create an interesting portrait of
blues
and early
country
from the region. Most of the
presented here is in the so-called
Piedmont
style, but some of the selections show a more generic approach, while pieces by
the Carter Family
and
Bobby Buford
catch
right at the cusp of what was then called hillbilly, and still retain much of their Appalachian flavor. Among the highlights are
Dock Boggs
' odd banjo piece,
"False-Hearted Lover's Blues,"
recorded in the summer of 1929, and featuring acoustic guitar from
Emry Arthur
,
James Henry Diggs
' gentle and emotionally nuanced guitar version of
"Poor Boy Long Way From Home,"
Josh Thomas
' sloppy, halting (and ultimately charming) banjo take on
"Mississippi Heavy Water Blues,"
previously a Delta staple. The variety on display here, both in terms of a timeline and the types of music presented, make
an interesting listen, and while it will appeal most to scholars and music historians, the gentle, flowing sequence makes it more than just an archival release. ~ Steve Leggett