Harry Smith was an artist, an obsessive and a savant of sorts, which is another way of saying that he had a difficult life. His depth of knowledge and the scope of it, meant that most people could barely understand the force that drove him, or find the ability to focus on how mis mind worked.

The Anthology of American Folk Music was only one of many esoteric projects that he had undertaken, and although this project eventually was proven to be monumentally effective as a catalyst for change in our music culture, as well as respect for America’s vast and diverse folk music, it ultimately ended as a presumed failure to Smith.

The Fourth series was delayed due to arguments with personnel at Folkways regarding which songs should be included (why in the world would they even try to second guess him?), and things fell apart when he was forced to sell his entire record collection for desperately needed cash, and then simultaneously lost all of his in-depth notations when a landlord emptied out his apartment because he missed his rent.

Ten years after his death, the fourth set somehow did rise from the dead, and that is why we now have the remainder of this series. The saddest part is that Harry himself never saw it.  

Featured songs include:

Memphis Shakedown – Memphis Jug Band

Dog and Gun – Bradley Kincaid

Blackjack David – The Carter Family

Down on the Banks of the Ohio – Blue Sky Boys

Adieu False Heart – Arthur Smith Trio

John Henry Was a Little Boy – L.E. Mainer’s Mountaineers

Nine Pound Hammer Is Too Heavy – The Monroe Brothers

Southern Casey Jones – Jesse James

Cold Iron Bed – Jack Kelly and his South Memphis Jug Band