I had forgotten I had posted on John Jacob Niles in 1999: "In my opinion, John Jacob Niles' LP "Folk Balladeer", released by RCA Victor, containing F.J.Child ballads, is a masterpiece. He is not scientific as a collector, but is a great artist. I wish that LP was re-published in a CD format." Well, now the cd I was talking about has been re-published, under the title "My precarious life in the public domain", on Rev-Ola, a division of Cherry Red Records, 2006. I confirm: no authenticity if we mean he was not a traditional singer, but an artist you don't meet every day who pulled his own personal poetry out of traditional material. It amazes me to read how scornful are some comments on his music. You can't compare him with the traditional singers, but how not to get aware of the beauty of his artistry? His Love Henry, Edward, Barberry Ellen, Jimmy Randal, Bonnie Farday and Gypsy Laddie above all among the big ballads.