Why do you start with The Weavers? Dont like Burl Ives?

On Top Of Old Smokey was released in 1949 by The Weavers. It was later during the McCarty flap that they were branded Un-American (whatever the hell that is). I always admired Pete Seeger for not taking the 5th, he took the FIRST!

Hank Williams was, in my opinion, country, not folk. For a time there was some cross over between pop and folk, Gogi Grant with Wayward Wind etc. I dont remember which came first, Belafonte or the Kingston Trio, but most of us had never heard Tom Dooley before the trio did it. Tex Ritter was a well known country-western artist before High Noon came out. That was around 1950 I think.

Horton said it we loaded up the squirrel guns and really gave them, WELL, etc Driftwood sang it... really gave them hell. He got no airplay because of that one word I am told.