Smithsonian Folkways have recently released Rising Sun Melodies featuring the music of influential bluegrass singer-songwriter, Ola Belle Reed a pioneer female bluegrass figure, amazing vocals and inspiring music.
- Tracks 1-11 are selections from two Ola Belle Reed albums recorded for Folkways Records: My Epitaph (FW02493) and All In One Evening (FW02329)
- Tracks 12-19 are previously unreleased live performances from Smithsonian Folklife Festivals in 1972 and 1976.
The rich tradition of music in the Appalachian Mountain region includes the sounds of the many immigrants who settled there: string band tunes from black and white traditions, spirituals and hymns taught by the local singing schools, parlor ballads, and minstrel tunes. Rising Sun Melodies, named for Ola Belle’s childhood home, features remastered recordings of eleven of her influential Folkways recordings, including her beloved songs, “High on a Mountain,” “I’ve Endured,” and “My Epitaph,” as well as eight previously unreleased live recordings of Ola Belle leading a band of family and friends at the Festival of American Folklife in 1972 and 1976 [now known as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival]. Featuring all of the heart and soul that Ola Belle was known for, Rising Sun Melodies will delight all of those fans longing to hear more of the seldom-recorded songstress of the Appalachians.
The release conincides with the annual music festival, held in her birth place Lansing NC, that takes place 13-15th August this year.
For anyone with an interest in American roots music Smithsonian Folkways is the place to start, you can buy the CD or download directly from them.
Ola Belle Reed – Look Down That Lonesome Road
