Submitted by David Lightbourne, Nov 16, 2006 20:34

Alan, Of course we need to remember that some of the cuts on Harry Smith were by, in their day, legitimate million-selling recording artists, albeit subsequently forgotten. As an editor I'd have changed "inspired" to "informed" - since between 1952 and 1992 Folkways probably sold 100 complete sets in a nation of what? 150 million? (Hell, I'm personally responsible for three sets, the first from Sam Goody in 1962.) When We Were Good by Robert Cantwell (Harvard U. Press 1995) spends a great deal of time tracing the faux- folk era's actual " inspirations". Harry Smith did provide the New Lost City Ramblers with enough material for something like 10 LPs - but they taped the originals from his 78s - none actually from "the Folkways Anthology". Greil Marcus discovered Harry Smith in the late 70's but Greil's always the last to get the news, and an accurate accounting of Harry Smith promply sank to the bottom of the Pacific Trench. Best, DL

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