Communiqué
An American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the “Mother of Folk”, “Jean Ritchie” on RAMBLIN – April 20 at 11 pm
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Saturday, April 20 at 11:00 pm
“Jean Ritchie”
Ramblin was a one-hour program and focused on a different performer or group in each episode. It showcased the most respected names in acoustic music. In addition to “live on tape” concerts, the program’s producers, Greg Hill and Keith Newman, along with a crew made up of Ohio University students, worked with each artist to create personal and introspective programs which were informative as well as highly entertaining. Most of the episodes were recorded at the WOUB studios in Athens.
This week features Jean Ritchie.
Jean Ritchie (1922–2015) was one of America’s finest and most beloved traditional singers, considered a national treasure for her work in preserving folkways. The eastern Kentucky coal country where she was raised proved creative fodder for composing such songs as “Blue Diamond Mines,” “Black Waters,” and “The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore.” Ritchie is in large part responsible for the revival and popularization of the Appalachian dulcimer, which she often used to accompany her songs. (Information from From The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum)