Yes Ebbie, it does tug at the heart, and her music has a universal appeal no matter which state you cmoe from.

I've heard Mama's Hands,very moving song as you say; but not Only the Lonely. I think I'm gonna have to set aside a Hazel Dickens day for myself, sifting through YouTube and asking friends what they know of her songs.

I agree that so many of her songs are moving, whether they are love songs or songs about place or the struggles of everyday, working people. In the book she has a short essay before each song, explaining how it evolved from her life. She mentions how she came to Baltimore (I think this was from the essay on Mama's Hands) and how there were signs that said "No Hillbillies Allowed" when she was looking for a place to live. Her mama and family were a great source of strength, comfort and' inspiration to her, and I find it touching that a family of 'humble means supported her musical career. She met up with Mike Seeger, amongst others, in a mid Atlantic song circle that launched her from a reserved but strong minded country girl into a more sophisticated wider world of country and folk music.

When you read her song lyrics about greed, outsourcing and corporate ethics (or NON ethics) you would think they were written last month.