Willie Watson
Willie Watson, on session

FIELD RECORDINGS IN THE FOLK TRADITION

Kacy & Clayton

In May of 1941, Woody Guthrie was hired to write folk songs for a government film about the Columbia River. He wrote 26 in 30 days.

Woody Guthrie’s book on the Columbia River songs

One 50-foot cartridge of Super 8 film holds about three minutes, the same window that set the length of a song back in the days of 78 rpm records. That roll is the whole session: one take, nothing produced or polished, only witnessed.