Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert

Subject: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 11:20 AM

Just thought I'd try a catchier subject line, to let people know about the Stephen Colbert show that featured a conversation about the Alan Lomax Collection - and traditional folk music and its contemporary iterations.

They did indeed play a recording that Lomax made of Jean Ritchie singing Nottamun Town, and compared it to a recording he made of Dylan singing his Master's of War, before it was released commercially.

It was a really nice folk moment on contemporary commercial TV, with guests Don Fleming (of the Association for Cultural Equity), Emmylou Harris, and Elvis Costello. Stephen Colbert joins in the singing, of course.

For more comments and the Colbert link, please go to the Alan Lomax Collection online thread. ;-)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 11:30 AM

Saw it last night and did you notice that, quite unusually, Stephen laid off the jokes for the most part and then did a very credible singing performance with them. Hey....maybe he's a fan of the genre.....or maybe he wanted the chance to sing with Emmylou.....who still loooks friggin' great and sounds the same at age almost 65!!!!!

LOOK HERE.....already online.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 11:34 AM

Unfortunately not available in the UK.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 11:46 AM

Looks like not available in canada either

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 12:11 PM

Dang it, Spaw, I was trying to redirect folks to the other thread. :-)

Sorry to hear that you folks can't get the program out of the country. I hope it gets posted to YouTube... don't know how to do that, myself.

The first song they all did together is "Good Old Mountain Dew", which I thought was kind of a funny choice, and done quite soberly. Then they finished with "Goodnight Irene", and Colbert got to play Elvis Costello's guitar, while he played ukelele.

Meanwhile, if you go to the Alan Lomax Collection online thread, you can find the link to the collection and browse among all the wonderful recordings there, including recordings of Jean Ritchie. (But I don't think there's any Emmylou.)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: Arkie
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 05:04 PM

It nice to see Colbert play that segment straight. He does have a respectful side, especially when dealing with something that deserves respect.

I thought "Mountain Dew" an odd choice as well. It is old, but supposedly written by Scott Wiseman and Bascum Lamar Lunsford.

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 06:23 PM

For people outside of US well canadians anyway you can catch it on the comedynetwork.ca

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 06:56 PM

That was really neat! Maybe he's a closet Mudcatter! Wouldn't it be awesome if he had Max on there sometime!?

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 08:17 PM

Coming from the Wisconsin Camp Song Tradition, I was quite impressed to see Emmylou sing "Good Old Mountain Dew" - I could care less about the guys.

But Becky, I can't imagine why you titled the thread the way you did. I like Jean Ritchie - but being a red-blooded American male, I obsess over Emmylou...
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: deepdoc1
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 10:29 PM

A comfortable version of Goodnight, Irene, too. An unexpected side of Colbert. I always found him to be more manic than I usually care for, but this was great.

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: deepdoc1
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 10:33 PM

P.S. The Lomax Archive is a great resource. Thanks for the link, Ms. Becky.

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: Neil D
Date: 10 Mar 12 - 10:57 PM

Saw it and loved it. Colbert does show more respect for musicians of any genre than other guests. I'm glad to see Elvis Costello involved with this project.

Subject: RE: Jean Ritchie on Stephen Colbert
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 11 Mar 12 - 11:15 PM

This was great!

During the Newport Folk Festival last summer, I stayed overnight at the home of a friend who was not going to the festival but is an Elvis Costello fan. She kept saying, "Elvis Costello!" to which I would respond "Emmylou Harris!" (Both were at the festival.) I just sent her the link to the videos.

And I'm a Jean Ritchie fan, too. I saw her once right hear in RI at an Appalachian Music Festival organized by Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly.