American Folk Songbook

Song selection, instrumentation and the simply gorgeous voice of Suzy Boggus make this an absolutely exceptional CD. When will there be a Volume 2, Volume 3?

Wonderful memories in these songs. SO GOOD to hear Suzy again!!

What a beautiful voice. A wonderful collection and singing of American folk songs.

Suzy Boggus has a voice that's strong and true. I can't wait for her to put out a regular country album again...it's been too long. I'm not familiar with a lot of these songs, but you can't help sitting back and listen to her voice roll over the worlds.

If you grew amidst the 1960s folk revival, you may well remember a favorite Pete Seeger, Burl Ives or Johnny Cash record of great American folk songs. You might have been schooled by the Dillards (in the guise of the Darling Family) on The Andy Griffith Show, had parents who sang these songs as you drifted off to sleep, sang folk songs at camp or had a progressive grade school teacher who introduced these songs at music time. But it’s probably been a few decades since folk songs were central to your life. Of course, you’ll still hear many of these titles on Prairie Home Companion and at bluegrass festivals, but their mainstream circulation has dwindled, pushing their legacies to the fringe. And that’s a shame, because these are great songs, rife with historical significance (both in their creation and in the stories they tell) and deep musical pleasures. Suzy Bogguss has collected seventeen titles, mostly well-known, and assembled them into a songbook of both musical and intellectual depth. In addition to her lovely acoustic renderings, assisted by a terrific band of musicians and backing vocalists, she’s written a companion book that provides history and sheet music. The song backgrounds essay the unsettled origins of many songs (is “Red River Valley” a reference to a tributary of the Mississippi, a spur of the Hudson, or the valley drained by the Red River of the North?), the variations of their lyrics, and their paths to prominence. The sheet music is perfect for accompanying your home sing-along on piano or guitar, and the CD is sure to be a favorite for both parents and kids, not to mention a nutritious respite from calorie-free children’s records. [©2011 hyperbolium dot com]

This album is wonderful. The arrangements are both beautifully suited to the song and fresh, and highlight the best qualities of Suzy Bogguss's voice. If you are not familiar with American folk songs, this is a great primer, and if you are, this album makes old songs new again. It's a keeper.

I bought 5 songs individually and within 12 hours I went back and bought the rest of the album. Guess I needed more of a good thing.

It is SO good to hear Suzy Bogguss again! How I have missed that rich, pure voice that rolls off you like cool water on a hot day. Suzy takes these American folk songs and sings them with a respect and sacredness they deserve. Way to go, Suzy! Don't wait so long next time.