The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #4215   Message #22637
Posted By: Bruce O.
01-Mar-98 - 03:32 PM
Thread Name: Methodologies -- who writes the songs?
Subject: RE: Methodologies -- who writes the songs?
I said nothing about this 'community', but others elsewhere have. I don't believe much that I've seen about that anyhow. It's true that that's where collectors most often caught up with them, but I think most were brought in by people that left a wandering life in order to settle or retire to a 'community'. I think the sources of most are from soldiers, seamen, loggers, fishermen, traveling salesmen, traveling music and dancing teachers, musicians, singers, perhaps even former hobos, and the like.

I don't say all were learned from the travelers and former travelers; there were cheap songbooks, broadsides and chapbooks available, too, at times.