![]() ![]() Certainly a bustling, growing United States, full of emerging nationalism and capitalism, with little notice downplayed rather than celebrated the homespun ways of its parents and grandparents. How could a young, upstart of a nation offer any significant contributions to the study of traditional European ballads? Sharp felt few individuals under the age of 70 possessed the authentic, first person memories and sentiments necessary to truly represent the heritage of fading, passed-down culture. Around 1900 he turned his attention to folk music, traveling the English countryside, documenting and recording the disappearing traditional ballads that only existed in the minds, hearts, and voices of aging generations.įortunately (and somewhat reluctantly), Sharp eventually directed his passion for song collecting towards the United States. As a young man he studied at Cambridge and went on to teach in both England and Australia. Not surprisingly, this is exactly what English Folklorist Cecil Sharp discovered (and confirmed) as he toured Southern Appalachia in the early 20th Century.Ĭecil Sharp was born in London in 1859. They represent family ties, a sense of place, community, and shared joys & despairs. Traditional Songs, like Traditional Foods, represent more than initially meet the eye. In 2000, the movie Songcatcher portrayed Sharp’s experience collecting ballads in Appalachia. ![]() The book is the most important source of traditional Appalachian songs. In 1917 Sharp published his collection of songs in a book entitled English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians. ![]() She shared over 70 of her songs with Sharp. Gentry was a member of North Carolina’s renowned storytelling and singing family, the Harmons. His most valuable source was Jane Hicks Gentry from Hot Springs, North Carolina. Between 19 he toured western North Carolina and other Appalachian states, recording over 500 ballads with English roots. In 1915 Cecil Sharp, an important collector of traditional English ballads, was informed that many Appalachian singers were singing old English songs. Creative Commons Image Obtained Through Flickr ![]()
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