I just encountered a very attractive little (74 page) book called Music of Coal--complete with two CDs. (Lonesome Records and Publishing.) It's hard-covered, and is essentially a photo essay on mining songs from Appalachian coalfields, with excellent notes, full lyrics and impressive photography. You can buy it direct from the publisher ($35) or from CAMSCO Music ($28+. Shipping at actual cost 50 cents + Media Mail cost.)
Details at www.lpoy.org/music_of_coal.htm


CD Tracklists:
*Volume One*
1. Down in a Coal Mine (Excerpt) 1:25
The Edison Concert Band
2. Mining Camp Blues 2:59
Trixie Smith
3. Sprinkle Coal Dust on My Grave 2:46
Orville Jenks
4. Coal Miner's Blues 3:04
The Carter Family
5. Hard Times in Coleman's Mine 2:36
Aunt Molly Jackson
6. He's Only a Miner Killed in the Ground 2:35
Ted Chestnut
7. Coal Black Mining Blues 1:13
Nimrod Workman
8. '31 Depression Blues 2:52
Ed Sturgill
9. Prayer of a Miner's Child 1:51
Dock Boggs
10. That Twenty-Five Cents You Paid 2:25
Sarah Ogan Gunning
11. The L & N Don't Stop Here Anymore 3:10
Jean Ritchie
12. Dark as a Dungeon 1:55
Merle Travis
13. Come All You Coal Miners 2:21
The Reel World String Band
14. My Sweetheart's the Mule in the Mines 0:22
Mike Kline
15. Thirty Inch Coal 2:36
Hobo Jack Adkins
16. Black Waters 3:38
Jim Ringer
17. Roof Boltin' Daddy 2:26
Gene Carpenter
18. Dream of a Miner's Child 2:46
Carter Stanley
19. Coal Miner's Boogie 2:57
George Davis
20. The Yablonski Murder 3:00
Hazel Dickens
21. What Are We Gonna Do? 3:01
Dorothy Myles
22. Explosion at Derby Mine 4:02
Charlie Maggard
23. Blind Fiddler 3:05
Jim "Bud" Stanley
24. Loadin' Coal 2:29
John Hutchison
25. Coal Town Saturday Night 3:06
Randall Hylton
26. It's Been a Long Time 3:15
Sonny Houston & Roger Hall
27. Fountain Filled with Blood 3:56
Elder James Caudill & Choir
Volume Two
1. West Virginia Mine Disaster 2:48
Molly Slemp
2. Union Man 3:36
Blue Highway
3. Blue Diamond Mines 4:26
Robin & Linda Williams
4. Set Yourself Free :50
Billy Gene Mullins
5. Redneck War 5:22
Ron Short
6. Sixteen Tons 2:32
Ned Beatty
7. There Will Be No Black Lung in Heaven 2:05
Rev. Joe Freeman
8. Deep Mine Blues 3:45
Nick Stump
9. I'm a Coal Mining Man 2:22
Tom T. Hall
10. Dirty Black Coal 4:27
Kenneth Davis
11. Black Lung 3:21
A. J. Roach
12. Coal Dust Kisses 4:06
Suzanne Mumpower-Johnson
13. Coal Tattoo 4:06
Dale Jett
14. A Strip Miner's Life 3:00
Don Stanley & Middle Creek
15. Daddy's Dinner Bucket 3:26
Ralph Stanley II
16. In Those Mines 3:43
Valerie Smith
17. Miner's Prayer 3:14
Ralph Stanley & Dwight Yoakam
18. Dyin' To Make A Livin' 3:47
W. V. Hill
19. You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive 6:06
Darrell Scott
20. They Can't Put It Back 2:31
Jack Wright
21. Which Side Are You On? 5:04
Natalie Merchant