Do You Know The Difference

When I Got Out Of School, I Spent Two Years Just Hitchhiking Around. Every Time I Met Some Old Farmer Who Could Play Banjo, I Got Him To Teach Me A Lick Or Two. Little By Little, I Put It Together.

My Father Urged Alan [lomax] Not To Repeat The Mistakes Of The European Folklorists Who, A Century Ago, Had Collected These Peasant Songs And Then Arranged Them For Part Choir And Accompanied Them On Piano, And Then Told The Young People Of Their Country, "don't Change A Note, This Is Our Sacred Heritage." Father Said, Whether It's A Fiddle Tune Or A Gospel Song, Learn It Right Off The Record From The People Who Grew Up With It. Don't Just Learn It From A Piece Of Paper.

After Visits To Several Communist Countries (ussr, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Slovenia, East Germany, Vietnam, China, Cuba), I Feel Strongly That Most "revolutionary" Types Around The World Don't Realize The Importance Of Freedom Of The Press And The Air, A Right To Peaceably Assemble And Discuss Anything, Including The Dangers Of Such Discussions.

I Try To Sing Many Different Kinds Of Songs. If I Sing A Batch Of Humorous Songs, I'll Throw In A Deadly Serious Song. Or If I'm Singing Too Many Serious Songs, I'll Throw In A Ridiculous Song, To Mix It Up.

You Can't Work On Everything All The Time, So Start Where You Are.