Merle Travis - Folk Songs of the Hills (1947)

Here is one of my favorite albums of all time. You may know Merle Travis from his well known later career where he made himself famous among country musicians for his slide guitar playing skills and honky tonk vibe. This album however is Merle's first release and truly shows his roots in the coal mining country of Kentucky. This album is chocked full of traditional folk/country songs played only on an acoustic guitar (which Merle has clearly mastered at this point). He truly expresses the feeling and angst at a time when many folk artists were singing songs about the hardships that labor workers faced. I could ramble on about the significance of each track and how it so clearly represents the struggle and everyday life of labor workers trying to make it for their family during the great depression, or you could just listen to it and discover all these sentiments for yourself. A must for folk fans of any kind.

PS. the folkie spoken introductions are great context before he plays each song

Try

Buy