About once every three months, I go on a shopping spree, looking for CD's and songbooks in Berkeley and El Cerrito, California. One of my stops is Down Home Music (click) home of the Arhoolie Records label, and probably the best folk music store in the San Francisco Bay area. Well, yesterday I noticed that they have several copies of the out-of-print treasure, Sam Henry's Songs of the People, at $29.95 paperback and $39.95 hardcover (which is less than I paid for the book there two years ago, dangit). I don't see the book listed on their Website, but they said you can order it by phone or e-mail (click)
The book is a terrific collection of (mostly Irish) folk songs, with tunes for most. Lots of good background information, too.
The store also has a number of books from the "Music In American Life" series published by the University of Illinois Press.
-Joe Offer, who is not connected with Down Home or any commercial enterprise whatsoever-