Hi Joe,

(We met a few years back (maybe 1999? )in West Chester PA where we had both shown up for Mudcat Internet Radio.)

As has already been said about recording dates, much of your work has been done for you by Charles Wolfe and his graduate students and are in the book that accompanies the Bear Family set. Opening at random to page 55, we find earlier sources (all before 1923 and therefore in the public domain) for all five songs recorded on May 25, 1931. It is at least clear that AP did not write them.

   I don't blame AP for copyrighting the songs. Somebody gave me the image of AP as somewhat like an American Indian, on being asked to sell his land,
"Well, Chief, we will pay you $50 in beads for your agreement to sell it to us settlers."
   "I don't understand. Who can own the land? Who can own the sky? Who can own the wind?"
   "Never mind. Just sell us YOUR title to it and that's all that we need."
   "Let me think. . .pretty beads. . . Okeh!"
and each side departed thinking they had taken advantage of the other.