CHOOSE ONE VOLUME OR BUY ALL FOUR!
Fifty years ago, the Old Town School gave its first folk music classes teaching from a Songbook created by its founders, and added to over the years by dozens of faculty. It's the largest folk music school in the country, and its Songbook is a model for old and new across a full range of folk styles (ballads and narratives, lyricals, blues, work songs, sacred songs, protest songs, and some folkified familiar pop songs).
Created as the ultimate folk learning tool, the Songbook is also a bang up good listen, as compiled in these four carefully-selected volumes. The series producers chose performances by Old Town School faculty, guest performers and even some famous alumni.
FestivaLink is honored to offer these 85 archetypal songs in digital formats, a convenient form for study. You may choose each volume or all four volumes at a great price.
Old Town School Recordings - Old Town School of Folk Music SONGBOOK Volume One
The first volume of the Songbook contains 23 songs from the likes of Jon Langford (Mekons, Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Waco Bros), Dan Zanes, John Stirratt (Wilco), Janet Bean (Freakwater, Eleventh Dream Day), Alice Peacock, Robbie Fulks, and Danny Barnes (Bad Livers).
Click here to purchase Volume One.
Old Town School Recordings - Old Town School of Folk Music SONGBOOK Volume Two
As a testament to the durability of these tunes, they stand up to a wide variety of genre-busting experiments and instrumental and vocal chicanery.
The performances on Volume Two include the ambient/electro treatment of "Simple Gifts" by Chicago's The Zincs, "Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan" by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice), and other spiritual and gospel choices, including "I Am A Pilgrim" and "Oh Mary Don't You Weep."
Click here to purchase Volume Two.
Old Town School Recordings - Old Town School of Folk Music SONGBOOK Volume Three
Volume Three features next-generation players, such as Amy Allison (daughter of Mose Allison) and Amy Nelson & Cathy Guthrie (Folk Uke, daughters of Willie Nelson & Arlo Guthrie). Highlights of faculty cuts include Cat Edgerton's "Water Is Wide" and Scott Besaw's "Nine Pound Hammer." Other artists featured include James Hand and Nora O'Connor.
Click here to purchase Volume Three.
Old Town School Recordings - Old Town School of Folk Music SONGBOOK Volume Four
Old Town School Co-Founder Win Stracke leads off this set with his rendition of "El-A-Noy," backed by current Old Town School instructor Mark Dvorak, in a recording that spans 40 years. Legendary folk singer/songwriter Tom Paxton gives us the folk favorite "So Long, It's Been Good To Know You." Surviving Old Town School Co-Founder Frank Hamilton turns in a very traditional version of "Simple Gifts."
Chicago singer/songwriter Michael Smith delivers what may be the definitive version of his classic song "The Dutchman."
You'll also hear a never-before-heard live take of Steve Goodman (Old Town School alumnus) performing what has become an American standard, his own "City of New Orleans," and John Prine's (another former Old Town School student) tune "Paradise," an Old Town School Songbook favorite. Sons of the Never Wrong close the Old Town School of Folk Music Songbook series with "I'll Fly Away." Listen for Steve Goodman himself singing along during the break.
Click here to purchase Volume Four.
