I haven't had a chance to listen/view yet, but this looks interesting:

Ballad Singers Set Life To Music

"Ballads have been a part of Appalachian culture since the earliest English and Scotish settlers moved into the mountains more than 300 years ago. They were passed down through the oral tradition, which is pretty much extinct in the U.S.

"NPR Intern Edition reporter Laurin Penland caught up with her relatives, who still sing the old songs."

Audio and video at the link.

~ Becky in Tucson