VA - Vanguard Newport Folk Festival Sampler

Founded in 1959 by Theodore Bikel, Oscar Brand, Pete Seeger, George Wein, and Albert Grossman, and modeled after the already established and successful Newport Jazz Festival, the Newport Folk Festival ran in its original configuration throughout the '60s before running out of gas in 1971 (the festival was revived in 1985 and has run annually ever since, although it has little more than its name in common with the festival's original run). Vanguard Records was on hand to record several of the mid-'60s lineups and as this sampler shows, there was a lot of vitality in the performances. Highlights here include Johnny Cash's spry version of his "Big River," a powerful, ominous, and spooky acoustic rendition by John Lee Hooker (complete with foot stomping) of "Hobo Blues," and a delightful duet between Joan Baez and Donovan on the latter's "Colours."

Any sampler worth its salt should leave the listener wanting to investigate further, and this introduction to the riches of Vanguard’s “Newport Folk Festival” set of albums does the job admirably. With one 13-track selection, it shows the quality and diversity of the music as it was presented at Newport from the first festival in 1959. The festival was founded under the guidance of a board of directors that originally included Theodore Bikel, Pete Seeger, Oscar Brand, Albert Grossman and George Wein, the latter having been the driving force of the well-established Newport Jazz Festival. The new festival arrived at a time when folk music was achieving mainstream popularity and much political relevance during the Cold War. It was a time when folk was seen as a very accessible musical form to play, sing along to or simply as a social unifier. The Newport Folk Festival was an annual event from 1959 through most of the 60s until it took a break from 1971 to 1985, when it successfully revived in a broader musical format. This sampler features music from the years up to the mid-60s, when it was at its most influential.


Tracklist:
1 Johnny Cash – Big River
2 The Kingston Trio – When The Saints Go Marching In
3 The Staples Singers – Pray On My Child
4 Judy Collins – Turn Turn Turn
5 The Stanley Brothers – How Mountain Girls Can Love
6 John Lee Hooker – Hobo Blues
7 Pete Seeger – It Takes A Worried Man
8 The New Lost City Ramblers – Gold Watch And Chain
9 Muddy Waters – I Can't Be Satisfied
10 Joan Baez & Donovan – Colours
11 Roy Acuff & His Smokey Mountain Boys – Steel Guitar Chimes
12 The Kentucky Colonels – Get Down On Your Knees And Pray
13 Doc Watson – Beaumont Rag

VA - Vanguard Newport Folk Festival Sampler
(320 kbps, cover art included)