American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Alan Lomax Collection (AFC 2004/004) folder 02.02.02 field work Georgia Sea Islands Singers, 1961-1974 correspondence Hedy West 519 Midvale Avenue Los Angeles, California 90024 Alan Lomax 215 W. 98 St New York, New York 10025 Alan - (1) Can you send your answer to me in England? (2) Or c/o Ethel Raim. 645 Johnson Lane St Simon Is G A Hello Jonie I now I Should Have Wrote You Befoure Now But I Wase Have ben running around in Circle Across the South I Cant Waite to See You and to tail You about it Some Places wase Good. Some wase bade. I Went back to Coweat I Am Well Pleas With What Could Hapon Thair I talk them in to Having the Usher Board Convention the 29 of May. Which Will Be Good fore them to Start of With and I Will Send You the Report in Soon I have Some. Could be Good nuse fore me. do You Know hedy West She Went one the Southern ture. She Hade Just Come frome London. She Will be Going Back Sometime Soon. She know of a mond thair that Would like to Bring Over in the fall. I Hade a Letter frome hear today She Call him and talk to him about me. Saw he waunt Some Kind of Write up about me and Some Pitchure of me 2 The Picture I Have. But I would have to have Some Body to Help me With the Write up thing I dont have much time to Get it to hear. I Know you all is bisy Sow Could You find time to [hep] Help me one it by Writing What You Thank about me and What You thank might could hopen to me and Send it to me. I Will have a folder [made] made and Send it to Hedy West to Send to him You would be doing a Gread thing fore me and Git in tush With Mr. Green Hill and he would tail You about the tv Show I Have hade a Good deal of Canada friend to Write me about the tv Show and thay Waunted to now When Would I be Back to Canaday. I also Hade a letter frome Yurchenka. She waunt have me and Skip James again I Will find the money frome Place to have this Printed Just as Soon as I can I Git it all together Sow I Will Be looking to hear frome you. And I Will Send you [the Rep]Report fore New Poart Soon. Sow Pleas let me Know Write away if You have tim to Help me With it Give my Love to Alin I Love Both of You. Hope to Come to See You Soon. Mable to Jo A. THE GEORGIA SEA ISLAND SINGERS The original group of the Georgia Sea Island Singers was organized by Mrs. Maxfield Parrish on St. Simon's Island near Brunswick, Georgia, in the 1920's. At the time, there were no roads into the island, and the Negro communities had been isolated and virtually self-governing since the Civil War. The original members of the group were all great folk singers who remembered songs, that dated back at least a century - rowing songs, longshoremen songs, ring games, and especially the shouts, those vigorous, rhythmic progenitors of the spiritual. They agreed among themselves to cultivate the "old-time way" of singing and to admit new, younger people into the group, only if they would conform to the tradition the group esteemed. The present group continues without change a tradition of singing that goes back to the roots of American Negro music. During three years of professional touring, the Sea Islanders have performed for night club, folk festival, classroom and concert audiences, weaving the songs together with an amusing and informative narration. Onstage, the powerful singers take their audience into a stirring and unforgettable experience of the best of Negro folk life and music. Some of the Georgia Sea Islanders appearances: Newport Folk Festival; Atlanta Folk Festival; Sea Island Folk Festival; Philadelphia Folk Festival Concert; Tyrone Guthrie Theatre; Pasadena Art Museum; Ed Pearl's Ashgrove; Club 47 in Boston; New School of Social Research; Hilton Head Hotel; Tucson and others. Some of Bessie Jones' solo appearances: Carnegie Hall; Berkeley Folk Music Festival; The Sign of the Sun; Chicago Folk Festival; Consultant for Harry Belafonte on the history of Negro music for RCA Victor. Films: CBS-TV, "Accent" - hosted by poet-professor John Ciardi; "Music in Williamsburg - A Day in the Life of 1760." directed by Sidney Meyers; documentary film, "Sea Island Songs" produced by Ted Carpenter of San Fernando Valley College. Recorded for: RCA Victor; Vanguard; Prestige; Atlantic; and they will record for Elektra this summer. Forthcoming appearances: Ed Pearl's Ashgrove; University of Southern California; Idyllwild; Valley State College; Fresno; Santa Barbara; San Jose State College; concert in Central Park sponsored by the New York Shakespeare Fest. Newspaper reaction to the Georgia Sea Islanders: Atlanta, Ga., 1963: SEA ISLAND'S FOLK SINGERS TOP THE BEST: The Georgia Sea Island Singers dusted off an almost forgotten slave style of vocalizing to run away with the plaudits at the biggest - and best - folksong festival held in Atlanta. The New York Times; Robert Shelton; 1965: The program was a vibrant excursing into authentic folk song. The Sea Island quintet is a fascinating group whose choral call-and-response singing, energetic dancing, and brightly rhythmic hand-clapping held the audience of nearly 500 persons engrossed.... The performers put on a show as musically appealing as it was intellectually stimulating. From Mabel Hillary to Joan Halifax, August 1966 I will have to tail you all about what made me write this Please keep it fore me if every body inthe world have a heart like you to just thank all the good that thay could do Thair would not be know ware to fight and you would not have fear in you head at night ho would warrow about the color of mand beaicouse thay would not be know fear in man. Wee all could shair God giving land and with love wee all would understand and would not warrow about the color of mand. You may be block you could be tan But lest just hope one day we waunt warrow about the color of mand not eavon about the colar of his hands I understand the color of a man in this land s you to not trying good inside you too It make you thank each day and night... if only I could do more about the ware our boys have to fight your heart goes out to every in this land. ho have a boy what can know if the boys are block are tan. You to have a heart that make you understand the it now differn in a sold of mand. From Mabel Hillary to Joan Halfiax, August, 1966 645 Johnson Lane St. Simon Is GA August-16-1966 Well Joan I made it home but things wase really in mess Thay hade mis ploce my mail frome London it took me a weak to find it but I have not found it all. I call them frome New York asking about my London mail hear What Thay told me Yesr you have mail frome London thay waunt You to Come The Secon weak in September then I wrote Mr Gust Saying that find when I Arrive hom now mail Saw I tore the hold dam house apart and found one half of a letter listing to what the part Said I found I would like to have you all to Come over the Secon Weak in October thair I wase hade to write him back I know he must Thonk I wase crazy to see october wrote one a letter and thonk it Said September o that made me sow dam made to I Went Sailing fore three days down the [Atlan ] dam oshin with Some one I hate like hell I Hade to it burn me up. Bessie call me to day She is upst Beaceause She have not heard frome the Central Park Program [and] and ABC. it Getting to be a hassie trying to tail hear it take time I got 91 dollars frome nbc after [th] thay took out fore the 25.00 tax in all it come to 91 dollars the hold [tho] thing wase 1500.0 dollars She Said that one of The Kids Got The Some Amount I got I am not Griping about it I Just waunted to let you [know] Know about it bearcouse She wase Going to Call You. She Said that I am hear Jannie 2 wase due more I dont have time to worrow about things I have did I have to try to get some more to do not me Sow dont worrow about it one my part Write are Rong Sow I will not be going to London to October. I heard from Philadelphia today I will be their in September and I will see you I hope Heneritta wase to plain a program fore October 5 after will come back you call hear and tail hear we will do it before we leav not to change it I want you to do one more thing fore me. Call Bearnard Pearl for me I lost his New York address and tail him it October when will you the number is 271-4924. Please So I could know in time if that waunt [?] in nuthing he will be doing with long [?] one more thing Call Mike at [?] City and ax him about giving me a booking I know you don't have mush time to do this not as mush as you would like I will look to hear frome you soon Please do what you could to get me some work Give Alan my love. Mable Mable A. Hillery 645 Johnson Lane St. Simon Island. Ga. 31522 I will have to tail you all about what made me write this Please keep it fore me if every body in the world hade a heart like you to just thank all the good that thay could do Thair would not be know ware to fight and you would not have fear in you head at night ho would warrow about the color of mand beaicouse thay would not be know fear in man. Wee all could shair God giving land and with love wee all would understand and would not warrow about the color of mand You may be black you could be tan But lest just hope one day we waunt warrow about the color of mand not eaven about the colar of his hands I understand the color of a man in this land s you to not trying to down are drown now mand block are Brown it saw mush good inside you too it make you thank eack day and night if only I could do more about the ware our boys have to fight your heart goes out to every in this land. ho have a boy wat can know if the boys are black are tan. You to have a heart that meake you understand the it now differn in a sold of mand. I Will Have to tail You all about What made me Write this Please keep it fore me. if Every body in The World Hade a heart like you to Just Thank of all The Good That Thay Could do Thair would not be Know Ware to fight and You Would not have fear in you head at night ho would warrow about the Color of mand beaicouse Thay would not be Know fear in man. Wee all Could Shair God giving land and With love wee all would understand and would not warrow about the colar of mand. You may be block You could be tan But lest Just hope one day wee waunt Warrow about the colar of mand not Eavon about the Colar of his hands I Under Stand the Colar of a man in this land s You to not trying to down are drown now mand Block are Brown it Sow mush good inside you to, it make you thank each day and night if onley I Could do more about the ware our boys Have to fight You heart goes out to Every in This land ho Have a Boy Will have to you to fight the vilt Con Know if the boys are Block are tan. You to Have a Heart That make You under Stand The it now differn in a Sold of mand. This is the report from my work in Coweata County. When you read this I; hope you willlunderstand some of the problems that the people have down here [deep in the heart of Dixie. First, I will give you some of the names of the counties that I have cvocered]. Most of the counties [them] are very small. You have to look hard to find them on the map, but there are peoples there and very fine people - some old, and some young. some have went and some have come, some I remember and some I forgot. In all of these places there are more Negros than White. The towns are owned and operated by white. Maybe a few white men in each town own the whole town. Only one person in the Negro families ever get a chance to vote. Beleive me that I have learned a .lot from the people. They liked what I came in there to do. I contacted the right hand Negro of Coweata before I left the island and told him all of mu ideals, about what I was coming there for. So his work was that he was glad to have someone there to wake up the people. He drives the Negro school bus in Coweata County. Pwople were real helpful everywhere. Haralson was wherewe were located. These are the name f the places that I went into to find the ones I was looking for. Senoia, Allerton, Woodberry, Namchester, Newman, Franklen, Molin, Hampton, and Gay Geor g ia. On On Griday Aftenrnon, March 25 we got together a group of people that sing notes. All of them came from different towns. They also will get together the second sunday in June at Gay. the third sunday In Oct at Senioa and have what they call a singing Society. They have never had a gatherin gin Haralson so I am arranging it so they can. 5 There aren at least eight important people that have gone to the arml, but I hope that they will return safe and sound and begin their music again. Two are real good guitar players and blues singers and one is a flute player and maker. 5 I also met a great man named Farrell who makes fine and blows it You all call it flute, but he hase another name for it. 4 On Saturday night, we had a fish fry. There were about 100 or more people there including policemen which was great. They never saw such a thing before, but I hope that they will see it again. on the fifth Sunday of May to White Oaks Groove Church Alexander, the deavom of the Ushaer Board reunion will be there along with them. It has never been held there before. We had ao ut 75 people attending Friday night on March 26. We had a show with blues. We rented the house withh nothing in it but a wooden stove and one bed and a fireplace; because the weather was bad we couldnt do it outside. People still had cotton and corn in the field that they had never gathered because so many of them were sick wit the flu. But those who could come out did. Mr Bubble Bell. about 65 years old payed the guitar and sang blues. Mr. Sainkfield also played the guitar and a harp and sang the blues. Mr Zachary played the guitar and most anything. There was also a great band with three gu itar players, one drum and a washboard which were alld good and Mr Zachary did the buck. As you know I received $200 from Newport. I spent it as careful as I could/ I had to pay for the peoples transportation , my fare to get from ST Simon to Brunswick and my room and board and also my transportation after I got to Coweata. I began the work on March 6. Also some long distance phone calls and a telegram. I 645 Johnson Lane St. Simon Is, Ga. May 1966 Dear Jona this is the report frome my work in Coweata Coundy. When you read this I hope you will understand it. some of the problems that the people have deep in the heart of Dixie first I will give you some of the name of the Coundy I have coverd. Most of them are very small. You have to look hard to find it on the map but there are peoples there and very find people. some old and some young some have went and some have came. some I remember and some i forgot. in all of these places there are more Negroes than White. the towns are own and operated by White. Maybe two white men in each town own the hold town only one person in the family gets a chance to vote. believe it or not I have learned alot from them they liked what i came in there to do. This is the name of the right hand Negro who I went to see first. (2 i got in contact with him befor I left the Island and told him [I was] all of my Ideals about what I were coming there for. so his word was that he was glad to have some one there to wake up the people. His name is Mr Tommie Alexandra. He drives the Negro school bus in Coweata County which is Haralson Georgia. Mr Alexandra and Mrs Lildlie May Upsham and Bengiman Adams were the three people who help me get in touch with others and the different places. Haralson Georgia was where we were located at. this is the name of the places that i went into to find the one I were looking for. Senoia Georgia, Allerton Ga Woodberry Ga, Mandchester Ga, Neuman Ga, Franklen Ga, Molin Ga, Hampton, Ga, Gay Ga, On Friday afternoon March 25 we got together a group of peoples that sing notes all of them came from different towns they also gather every Second sunday in June at Gay Ga, the Sunday in Oct. at Senioa Ga, and have what they call a singing Sociation they have never had a gathering in Haralson Ga, so i arrange it so they can. 3 on the 5 Sunday of May to Whit Oake Groove Church wher Mr. Alexanda the Deacon toke Ushar board reaunion will be there Along with them it have never been healed there befor. We had about 75 people to Attend Friday night on March 26 We had a show of ?? blues and on record and lively peoples, We rented this house with nothy in it but a wooden stove and one bed. and a fireplace because the weather were bad we connot do it out sid people stilled had cotton and corn in the [field] field that they had never gather because so many of them were sick with the flue. and still was. but thats who could come out these are the name of the peoples participated in the Blues night Mr. Bubble Bell, About 65 years old he playes the Guitar and Sing blues and Mr. Clance Sainhofield he also playes the Guitar and a harp and sing the Blues and Mr. John Zackery playes the [Giut] Guitar and [sign] sing most anything it was also a great band there Guiter player. One Drum and a Washboard which were all Good and Mr. Zackery who don the brick dance 4 and a great man named Mr John Farrell who makes [I]ice and blow it. you all call it Fluite but [he] he have another name for it on Saturday night we had a fish [fire] fry there were about 100 or more peoples there including the [poc] policeman which were great they never saw such thing befor. but I hop they will see it again This is where the people lives they name and address is Mr John Zachery Newman Ga, Rout 2 Box 28 He Dances and playes Guiter Mr Bubble Bell Hard 5 Mr Bubble Bell Haralson Ga, Rout 1 Box 29 [Guitar] Guitar player and Blues singer Mr Clana Saintfield Mayweather County Rout 1 A Blues sing and blues singer Fluit player and maker Mr John Farrell Haralson Ga Rout 1 Box 95. [M] member of the Band live all over the place R. B. Zackery Newman Ga, Rout 2 Mr Melvin Talley Mr James Spaulding Gay Ga, Rout 1 Mr. Ralph Amey Woodberry Ga J.D. Gaurty Hardason Ga, All have goned to the army. but i hope they will return safe and sound. To begin their music again 6 As you know I recived $2.000 Dollars frome Newport. I spended it as carefull as i could I had to pay For the peoples transpotations my bus Fair taxes Faire to get frome St. Simon to Brunswick, and my room and board and Also my transpotations After I got to Co???? I [really] began the work on March 6. some phone call has to be made some little to be sunt out. March 6, 1966. Phone call St. Simon to Haralson Ga. $2.60 March 7, 1966 Phone call, From Haralson to St. Simon $3.20 March 5, 1966 [Phone call] Stamps $1.40, March 18, Telegrams frome Mrs Lillie May [Up] Upshaw to St Simon $3.65 March 20, Taxes Fare Frome St. Simon to Brunswick Ga $8.00 March 20, 1966. Greayhound buss ticket frome Brunswick Ga to Atlanta $9.63 Food expenstive frome Brunswick to Atlanta $4.60 For three meals March 20. Room in Atlanta $6.00 March 21. Bus fair to Haralson Ga $1.39 7 Expenstive in Coweta from the 21 to 28. Room and board $25.00, March 21_28 $60.000 For Car, Driver, Galesion firday night March 25 - 26 expenstive fish fry rent, $25oo I Hade to Gow to A Doctor Whil I - I wase down in Coweata but it wase not to Bade. I Hope to Gow Back Soon. Some time in June if not the Last of August. 8 3-6 Phone call $2.60 3-7 Phone call $3.20 Stamps $1.40 3-20 Bus fair $9.63 3-18 Telgramp $3.65 3-20 Food - $4.60 3-20 Room $6.00 3-21-28 Room $25.00 3-21-28 tranpatution - $60.00 3-21-25 Fish Fray - 25.00 3-28 Bus fair - $9.63 3-21 Bus fair - $1.39 3-28 Bus fair - $1.39 3-29 taxes fair - $5.00 Paid out $14905 I took fore my pay 5095 $20000 I Hope you all Will Be Pleas With What I did I Hade - now truly in doing this thay would Like to do it to are three times a Year With me - you Just have to talk it out With him Whare Every You Gow to do this dont try to make [them] them thank that You are- are Some Gread Singar Are Some City Boy & You have to Become one of them I Will Be in New York Soon I Will Call You Befoure I Leav new York - Mable Jonie I Love You Letters of Rec 1 645 Johnson Lane St. Simon Is GA Hello Alen Jonie I Reseve the money frome New P O Cut Yester day it wase $200.00 Dallair I Hope leav Hear about the 20 - I Have - Ben in Bed with A Bad Cold Sow I Will Have - to mine the Doctor And I am also trying to Get a Program in flarda But if it Come up it would Be one the 18 then I will Gaw to Coweata County Later But I will Let You know But I thank I Should. Have Something to take thair Beside My ugley foce. I made you a [promice] Promice that I wase Going to da Good Job and I will I also will Have a weak to find [what] What I Waunt then Saturday night Will Be - County Bever Get together Sunday night will Bee Reglish time in GA I Hope it will Be the Best thing Ever Hapen in GA - Nair you mush - not Be aferead have foce in me Boath of you after I do this I Just Gat to Get Something Going fore my Self- I Have Ben [in] in tuch with them in Coweat Sow How about Writing me Befoure I leaur I will Keep a recard of what I Spend and What find I will Call Willes Jomer When Get to Atlanta 2- Invite him down I will See him if he Have time to See me I will Spend the night in Atlanta if You waunt me to know anything after the 20. Just call me are write me one Phone me one the Island. My family know how to find me at all time all of you other [fried] Bays and Girls in Wue Sow dont Be to long [Canser] Prayeing fore me. Smiel Love Mable to Jonie & Alen. Would you to Like to have Dinner with me tonight Green Beans Read Potoes in them Good Dear Meat I Went Dear Hunting Saturday one Sarilo island. But I did not kill him Some one Els Beat me to him But I Got 4 Duck that was Good fore me. Wild Rice Candid Potoes 519 Midvale Avenue Los Angeles, Cal 90024 [M]ay 2, 1966 Dear Alan: Can you find a spare moment to lay your hand on, and send to me (copy will be excellent - perhaps you need original) newspaper clippings about Mable Hillery? I'm working on arranging for Mable to go to England and sing through FOLK DIRECTIONS 39 Gloucester Avenue London N.W. 1 England GUL 7112 It's Roy Guest's (and my) folk-performance booking agency in Eng. Mable suggested I write you about this. Can you help? If you also have photographs, they would be most helpful. One other thing I think of is that I statement of Alan Lomax about [M]able - her singing would also be very good. I thank you very much. Yours, Hedy Hedy MABEL HILLARY The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the woman's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and the men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good woman's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia - the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repertoire including the most moving of the spiritual and gospel music. When the integration movement started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Carawan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: University of Berkeley, UCLA, Idlwyld, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival (2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in Brunswick, Georgia, the John's Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at Mt. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist, Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film. Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Blues Special. and others. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtime, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, spirituals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work MABEL HILLARY The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the women's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and then men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good women's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia - the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repetoire including the most moving of the spiri-tual and gospel music. When the integration movement started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Carawan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: University of Berkeley, UCLA, Idlwyld, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival (2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at Mt. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist, Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film. Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporations's Blue Special. and others. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtime, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, spirituals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work Mabel Hillary The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the woman's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and the men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good woman's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia - the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repetoire including the most moving of the spiritual and gospel music. When the integration movement started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Carawan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: University of Berkeley, UCLA, Idlwyld, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival (2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in Brunswick, Georgia, the John's Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at Mr. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist, Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Blues Special. and others. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtimes, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, spirituals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work MABEL HILLARY The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the woman's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and the men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good woman's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia - the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repetoire including the most moving of the spiri- tual and gospel music. When the integration movment started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Carawan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: University of Berkeley, UCLA, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival (2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in Brunswick, Georgia, the John's Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at Mr. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist. Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film. Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Blues Special. and others. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtime, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, spirituals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work MABEL HILLARY The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the woman's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and the men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good woman's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia - the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repetoire including the most moving of the spiri- tual and gospel music. When the integration movement started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Caravan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: University of Berkeley, UCLA, Idlvyld, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival (2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in Brunswick, Georgia, the John's Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at Mt. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist, Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film. Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Blues Special. and others. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtime, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, spirituals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work MABEL HILLARY The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the woman's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and the men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good woman's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia- the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repetoire including the most moving of the spiri- tual and gospel music. When the integration movement started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Caravan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: University of Berkeley, UCLA, Idlwyld, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival (2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in Brunswick, Georgia, the John's Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at Mt. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist, Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film. Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Blues Special. and others. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtime, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, spirituals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work MABEL HILLARY The voice of Mabel Hillary rings strong with the woman's blues. She sings of red clay, dusty Georgia, and the men that work the land. It's been a long time since a good woman's blues was heard. The bitter-sweet voice of the old South has just about given way to the low-down, dirty, gravel voice. But Mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style is as true as her words. Nor has she forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her by a family of singers and dancers. She raised her six children on the rich lore of east Georgia - the fantasy songs, games, plays and dances of Negro children for generations. And the church is part of her life, too, her repertoire including the most moving of the spiritual and gospel music. When the integration movement started to touch her people in Georgia, she began to compose songs for the new freedom. She has sung with the best in the country - the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownie, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Carawan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. MABEL HILLARY PERFORMANCES: Universty of Berkeley, UCLA, Idlwyld, Chicago Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival(2 years), New School in New York, Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York, Cornell University, Club 47 in Boston, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Peachtree Art Center, Atlanta, the Georgia Sea Island Folk Festival in Brunswick, Georgia, the John's Island Folk Festival in South Carolina, University of Arizona, Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Realto Club in Detroit, Gerdes Folk City in New York, Cafe Au Go Go in New York, Philadelphia Newport Concert, Hilton Inn at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Sign of the Sun, San Diego, Ashville Folk Festival, City College in New York, Benefit Concert of Freedom Radio, Concert for SNCC workers at MT. Beulah, Mississippi, Highlander Folk School. FILM AND RADIO: CBS Special, "Accent" with folklorist, Alan Lomax, and poet, John Ciardi. Georgia Sea Island Film - a documentary of the singing style of the Sea Islands as filmed by the well-known anthropologist, Ted Carpenter. The Newport Folk Festival Film. Featured on Studs Terkel's well-known radio program in Chicago. and others. Featured performer in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Blues Special. RECORDINGS: Vanguard. MABEL HILLARY'S MUSIC: Blues, ragtime, children's songs, freedom songs, Georgia Sea Island songs, work and prison songs, gospel, sprirtuals. FIELD WORK: Newport Folk Foundation Highlander Folk School Mississippi Project and much independent work what kind of music blues, gospel, spiritual, and ragtime, game songs, and the like composes much of the music she sings, freedom songs sings with or witout guitar sung with john hurt, sonny and terry , georgia sea island singers barbara dane, guy carawan, she has worked among various rural communities on reviving grassroots singing - highlander and mississippi project now is doing field work for the newport foundation [*pier 92 Queen Mary*] places i have performed in univ of berkeley ucla [?] ashgrove idlewyld chicago - folk fest two years a t newport new shcool, new york cnetral park cornell univ club 47, boston minneaplolis, walker art center atlnata, ga - peachtree art center brunswick - folk fest johns island, sc - folk fest tuscon, ariz - univ ariz mormon church, salt lake city unitarian, salt lake city, utah realto club, detroit gerdes folk city cafe au go go phil hilton inn, hilton head, sc sign of the sun, san diego ashville records vanguard film cbs special calif. - ga sea island film newport film Mabel Hillary has sung her songs [all] across the United States. She brought the spirit of the old South found intthe Georgia Sea Islands and the new South found in [any] the SNCC meeting to the great Mormon Church in Salt Lake City. She has outsung the best of the citybillies in the Cafe Au Go Go in New York. She gave a new spirit to the folkniks who frequent Gerdes in New York, Sign of the Sun in San Diego, the Realto Club in Detroit, Club 47 in Boston, and the Newport Folk Festival. [*6*] She has sung with the best in the country, too, the Georgia Sea Island Singers, John Hurt, Sonny and Brownue, Barbara Dane, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Guy Carawan. Now she is in the field working for the Newport Folk Foundation on its most important project, the revival of the grassroots tradition in the South. [She has been responsible for much of thee business of the Georgia Sea Island singers of which she is a par] Mabel has been instrumental [for] in keeping the Georgia Sea Island group together and insuring the continuing existande of Americas richest singing tradition. [*1 (*] the voice of mabel hillary rings strong with the woman's blues [she tells me that no man, no land, no word will put her down] [*2 (*] she sings of red clay, dusty georgia and the men that work [that] the land her rich anecdotes weave unforgettably throughout her whole performance [*?*] she is part of americas richest and strongest [singing] folk tradition [mabel has brought] mabel has sung eith the georgia sea islanders for many years and [*5*] when the integration movement started to touch her people in georgia she began to compose songs for the new freedom. [her brilliant voice would ripe into her friends and and some not so friendly and the word was said and no one could resist it. mabel's experiences in the folk field are tremendously varied] [the old blues style] [womans blues was just about forgottebmbmb] [*3*] its been a long time since a good womans blues [hear] was heard. the old [?] bitter sweet [?]voice of the old south has just about given way to a hard hitting low down dirty gravel voice. but mabel hasn't forgotten how it feels and her style [rings] is as, true as her words. [*4*] [but] she hasnt forgotten the spirited tradition passed down to her [from a generation] by a family of singers and dancers she raised her six children on the rich [childrens] lore of east georgia. -her fantasy songs, [dances,] games, [and] plays and dances of [children] negro children for generations. And the church is part of her [tradition] life too, [and] her repertoire including the most moving of the spiritual and gospel music. BESSIE JONES OF THE GEORGIA SEA ISLANDS The voice of Bessie Jones of St. Simons Island, Georgia, is a pure expression of the power of African song style still alive and fructive in the rural South. Bessie was born in the red cotton land o f North Georgia into a large family of singers, dancers, guitar players and leaders of the church. Her grandparents on both sides of the family had been slaves and they taught her their songs and their singing styl[e ] style while she was young and impressionable. She forgot none of their lessons. In her travels up and down the east coast she added to her childhood repertoire, and when whe settled down on St. Simons Island she quickly learned the rich tradition of early song forms remembered by her friends there. Her repertoire is perhaps the largest and most interesting of any Negro informant recorded. Mrs. Jones presents her material to any audience in a weave of melody and anecdote that gives a stirring and memorable picture of the way Negro folkways have grown. She is a fine speaker. She has a big, powerful and thrilling voice, and she is a person of tremendous dignity and charm. BESSIE AND HER MATERIAL folk takes, prison songs, work songs, ring games, all types of children's songs and games, folk tales from all over the South, blues, spirituals, songs of slavery, freedom songs, island anedotes, clapping, Negro philosophy, folk medicine, and so on. BESSIE HAS RECEIVED ACCLAIM FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES FOR HER WORK Providence News: Bessie Jones, an outstanding hit at this year's fest... San Francisco Sunday Chronicle: No description can do justice to these singers; they have to be heard to be enjoyed. There are a pair of tremendous solo singer named Bessie Jones and John David who could hold their own against any professional ensemble in the business. Pasadena Art Museum: from the director: I am personally very grateful to you for coming to the Pasadena Art Museum. Everything that we had heard about you before was surpassed by the reaction of the people who heard you in performance. UCLA Campus Newspaper: Among the traditional folk singles appearing at the Folk Music Festival, Bessie Jones is the most impressive. Her style is the simplest and most direct. She always sings without accompaniment. Charles Seeger, eminent UCLA musicologist participating in the festival, called her style the most typical of the American tradition present at the Festival. Atlanta Journal and Constitution: Bessie Jones says of her concert in Carnegie Hall: Carnegie Hall was bigger than a hotel, all right. But There was nothing but heads out t ere. That's allright with me; as long as they peoples, I ain't afraid. Long as they don't chabge their faces. I know I'm scared when a snake jumps. Someting like that. But people, that's all I know. Some of her appearances Newport Folk Festival, Atlanta Folk Festival, Dea Island Folk Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival Concert, Tyrone Guthrie Theatre, Pasadena Art Museum, Ed Pearl's Ashgrove, Club 47-Boston, New School of Social Research, Hilton Head Hotel, Carnegie Hall, Berkeley Folk Music Festival, Sign of the Sun, Chigago Folk Festival, University of Southern California, Idyllwild, Valley State College, Fresno, Santa Barbara, San Jose State College, Central Park, [Recordings] Recorded for RCA Victor, Vanguard, Prestige, Atlantic Films CBS-TV, "Accent* hosted by poet-professor John Ciardi "Music in Williamsburg - A Day in the Life of 1760"_directed by Sidney Meye: "SeaIslnd Songs" produced by Ted Carpenter of San Fernando Valley College ALAN LOMAX 121 West Third Street New York 12, New York Dear Friend, Now that the people of the United States have come to understand and to enjoy native American folk music, it is extremely important for them to hear more and more authentic country singing. In my opinion, genuine country folk singers, born and bred to their tradition, are very much like serious concert artists or composers in the field of fine art music. In order to receive recognition in their own regions, they must be masters of a complex and subtle style. Thus Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, Aunt Molly Jackson and Jean Ritchie have made permanent and unique contributions to the solid growth of American music. My purpose in writing you is to introduce a new singer, whom I believe can take her place with these artists. Her name is Bessie Jones. She was born and reared in the red hills of northeast Georgia, where she learned a magnificent repertoire of songs from her grandparents. These songs date back a century or more and are the master type from which Negro folk music grew. Mrs. Jones has been a leading performer with the Spiritual Singers of the Georgia Sea Islands for some time and knows this tradition of ante bellum shouts and work songs, as well. Not only does she have the most interesting collection of any Negro informant I have ever found, but she also knows scores of dances and of folk tales. We have worked together for some time and she is now prepared to present her material to any audience in a weave of melody and anecdote that presents a stirring and memorable picture of the way Negro folkways have grown. She is a fine speaker. She has a big, powerful and thrilling voice, and she is a person of tremendous dignity and charm. I cannot urge you too strongly to invite Mrs. Jones to tell her story and sing her songs to your folk song audience. For the moment I am acting as her friend in arranging concerts and appearances for her because I feel strongly that the root stuff of Negro folk music is still unknown to most Americans. It is perhaps our greatest tradition, and Bessie Jones is fully capable of presenting it. Please let me know if you are interested and on what terms. Yours sincerely, Alan Lomax AL:dh 1 645 Johnson Lane St. Simon Is Ga. July 2, 1966 Dear Alan & Jonia It seam as if you all dont have time to write no one but I wont to borrow a few moment of you time I recived a letter from Roy Gust of London, and he said to me in his letter that he would be arranging a 3 week visit for me to come to Britain and that I would have to bring a Guitar player with me! And I wont to know what my regular fee would be and I dont know what to tell him because I dont wont to mess things up. And I would have to let him know right away. so please write and tell me what I should charge. I would be comming to New York. Around the 20th of July. 2 - because I have thing that I would have to take care and I also have a concert there on the 25th. I would like to borrow a bed. for awhile. I would also like to go up to Newport. so could you get a pass for me. so I may attend the Festivale and I just might need your floor there to sleep. so would you please write me and till me what day you are going to Newport. In case if I dont make it to New York befor you leave for Newport. I will see you there. And Bernard Pearl Is the [onely] only Guitar player available. that would take the trip with me. And he would be comming to Newport to see the Festiviel. Look to here from you soon. Love Mable. Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.