Subject: New CD of Folksongs by Albert Baily
From:
GUEST,Autoharper
Date: 04 Sep 12 - 12:04 PM
I have just obtained a new audio CD entitled "The Phippsburg Song Book," a collection of the folksongs of the late Albert Baily. One song recorded in 1960 is sung by Baily, himself, the rest were recorded recently by Dick Kelly, Abigail Kelly, Bert Koller, and Frank Roberts. Includes Baily's: Ice Cutting Horse, Big Bull Moose, Harry Herman, Ballad of Mary Muggins, Big Bull Whale, Ballad of Sandy McNabb, Bump Squeak, The Widow, Ballad of Mary Ann Magee, Ballad of Camden Town, James, Rise Up Harry, I Robbed the Co-op, as well as Dick Kelly's songs about Harry Herman's other woman up in Parkerhead, Alice Ann Gilman, The Phippsburg Tourist Song, and Ballad of Malago. Also includes Kelly's setting of Miriam Macy Whitehead's poem, The Indian Womans' Lament. 17 tracks in all.
Available from Dick Kelly, 1091 Riverside Drive, Vassalboro, ME, 04989. I have not found it available online. As far as I know, this is the first time Baily's songs have been issued on a recording.
A teacher and Quaker from Philadelphia, Albert Baily came to Maine for the summer in the early 1930's with his wife Helen. They purchased a place in in Small Point, Phippsburg. In 1935 they established Three Fevers camp, a pioneering camp for young people who worked with the community to improve housing, education, and economic opportunity in the local fishing villages. "Uncle Bert" expected to find indigenous folk music like that which was being recorded in the American South. When he did not, he began to compose his own songs. Many were influenced by Woody Guthrie, of whom he was a great fan.
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