My VDU has been on the fritz for a few days and I just caught up with this thread again. Thanks Brian for the Autobiography of Mance Lipscomb. I will look for it.

I also was under the impression that Alan Lomax was still alive.

As far as I can see, during the time Lomax was collecting for the L of C he was on a limited budget and probably couldn't give his performers anything. On the other hand, during these later years he has been puting together collections of the field recordings and I don't know what happens to the money (if any) that they bring in. Lomax did, by his own account, a lot toward providing a career for Muddy Waters and Fred McDowell and probably others. He did record Son House in the 40s(?); but I think he was re-re-discovered later.

Until recently, our picture of Leadbelly was distorted by John Lomax's point of view; but I don't know if Alan Lomax can be blamed for any of that.

I really would like Sandy to chime in at this point!

Murray