Yes! Yes! Yes! I've come to the American stuff round about, being more interested in the ballads in their British Isles versions, initially, but now exploring what there is (was) on both sides of the pond. I put down my guitar a long time ago and now play banjo and concertina -- but the songs come out best when I'm not distracted by either. I like to hear them that way, too.

I've only recently come to the Anthology (taking this stuff up after its time), but it was preceded in my collection by the recordings of traditional singers from the Warner collection, Folk-Legacy, and the Lomax and other stuff from Rounder.

Truly traditional stuff from England, Scotland, Ireland, as well as America, Italy, and more? Check out my favorite site, Musical Traditions for articles and reviews. If you want an Anthology-like sampler of English traditional song (with some of the others thrown in), it's Topic's Voice of the People series. I'd say it's the modern and U.K. equivalent of the Anthology. The big difference is that it's so big very few people probably buy the entire set. Still, some is better than none.

~ Becky in Tucson