There was a time, in the late 1940s and into the 1950s, when about the only singers of traditional folk songs that most Americans had ever heard of were Burl Ives, with his radio program, "The Wayfarin' Stranger," and this pretty, sweet-voiced young lady.

Although she was definitely one of the pioneers of the folk music revival in the United States, she pretty much withdrew and let it pass her by. Nevertheless, she was very much there at the time, and a strong influence on many young singers investigating folk music for the first time (I have a couple of her records).

Sad to hear that she passed away, as far as I know, unnoticed here on Mudcat, on April 25th, 2010, at the age of 84.

Susan Reed.

Don Firth