A friend of mine way up in Thompson Manitoba (my old librarian from High school actually) has been liquidating his huge collection of folk records and just sent me a hundred of the most wonderful albums. It's not a commercial collection so there's no Dylan, PPM, or even Lightfoot or John Prine. What's in it are albums by folks like Paul Clayton, MacColl, Caedmon Trad Ballad series, and some wonderful obscure bluegrass. Last week Peter T. and I listened to Wilma Lee Cooper sing "Great Speckled Bird", practically with tears in our eyes.

One of the most fascinating albums though is by Lonnie Johnson, on King Records (out of Cincinnatti) from the late 40s. He sings a couple of Alton Delmore songs! (Blues Stay Away From Me, for one) Now anyone here knows how much I love the Delmores (and Lonnie) but it's a connection I never would have thought possible. They obviously moved in very different circles. The Delmores were on King throughout the mid to late forties as well, so I'm wondering if Sid Nathan (the owner) got them and Lonnie together. In separate biographies, both Lonnie and Alton said that Sid was a crook (royalties you know), but boy, he gave us the music of some fine artists....Grampa Jones, Red Foley and Merle Travis among others.

Any thoughts?

Rick

Rick