Darlin' Cory
Encyclopedia
"Darlin' Cory" (Roud
5723) is a well-known folk song about a banjo-picking, moonshine-making mountain woman. The first known recording of it was by Clarence Gill as "Little Corey" on 6 January 1927, but it was rejected by the record company and never released. A few months later, folk singer Buell Kazee
recorded it as "Darling Cora" on 20 April 1927 (Brunswick 154). Later the same year, it was recorded by B. F. Shelton
as "Darlin' Cora" on 29 July 1927 (Victor 35838). Other early recordings are "Little Lulie" by Dick Justice (1929) and "Darling Corey" (released as a single) by the Monroe Brothers in 1936. In 1941, The Monroes' version was included in a landmark compilation, Smoky Mountain Ballads (produced and annotated by John A. Lomax) on Victor Records, of ten recent commercially-issued hillbilly recordings (including, in addition to the Monroe Brothers, ones by the Carter Family, Uncle Dave Macon
, Mainer's Mountaineers
, and other Southeastern performers). That same year on May 28 Burl Ives
also recorded it in his debut album Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
(issued August 1941 with liner notes by Alan Lomax
). Since then, many artists have recorded it, including:
Roud Folk Song Index
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of 300,000 references to over 21,600 songs that have been collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world...
5723) is a well-known folk song about a banjo-picking, moonshine-making mountain woman. The first known recording of it was by Clarence Gill as "Little Corey" on 6 January 1927, but it was rejected by the record company and never released. A few months later, folk singer Buell Kazee
Buell Kazee
Buell Kazee was an American country and folk singer. He is considered one of the most successful folk musicians of the 1920s and experienced a career comeback during the American folk music revival of the 1960s due in part to his inclusion on the Anthology of American Folk Music.- Early life...
recorded it as "Darling Cora" on 20 April 1927 (Brunswick 154). Later the same year, it was recorded by B. F. Shelton
B. F. Shelton
B. F. Shelton was an American singer and banjoist who recorded a number of songs for Victor Records at the Bristol Sessions in Bristol, Tennessee on July 29, 1927. Shelton traveled from Corbin, Kentucky where he worked as a barber to Bristol for the sessions with gospel singer and preacher Alfred...
as "Darlin' Cora" on 29 July 1927 (Victor 35838). Other early recordings are "Little Lulie" by Dick Justice (1929) and "Darling Corey" (released as a single) by the Monroe Brothers in 1936. In 1941, The Monroes' version was included in a landmark compilation, Smoky Mountain Ballads (produced and annotated by John A. Lomax) on Victor Records, of ten recent commercially-issued hillbilly recordings (including, in addition to the Monroe Brothers, ones by the Carter Family, Uncle Dave Macon
Uncle Dave Macon
Uncle Dave Macon , born David Harrison Macon—also known as "The Dixie Dewdrop"—was an American banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian...
, Mainer's Mountaineers
J. E. Mainer
J. E. Mainer was an American old time fiddler who followed in the wake of Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers.-Biography:...
, and other Southeastern performers). That same year on May 28 Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
also recorded it in his debut album Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
Released in August 1941, Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger is an album consisting of four 10-inch records by Burl Ives. This record set marked Ives's debut as a recording artist...
(issued August 1941 with liner notes by Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
). Since then, many artists have recorded it, including:
- Roscoe HolcombRoscoe HolcombRoscoe Holcomb, was an American singer, banjo player, and guitarist from Daisy, Kentucky. A prominent figure in Appalachian folk music, Holcomb was the inspiration for the term "high, lonesome sound," coined by folklorist and friend John Cohen...
- John HartfordJohn HartfordJohn Cowan Hartford was an American folk, country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore...
(as "Dig a Hole" on Steam Powered Aereo-TakesSteam Powered Aereo-TakesSteam Powered Aereo-Takes is a collection of outtakes, demos and jam-sessions from John Hartford's groundbreaking 1971 album Aereo-Plain, released in 2002. The music is a blend of traditional bluegrass musicianship, and the hippie spirit of the 70's...
, 1971) - Doc WatsonDoc WatsonArthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
- Bruce HornsbyBruce HornsbyBruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
- The WeaversThe WeaversThe Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
- Crooked StillCrooked StillCrooked Still is an alternative bluegrass band consisting of vocalist Aoife O'Donovan, banjo player Dr. Gregory Liszt, bassist Corey DiMario, cellist Tristan Clarridge and fiddler Brittany Haas...
- Bill MonroeBill MonroeWilliam Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
- Harry BelafonteHarry BelafonteHarold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
(as "Darlin' Cora," attributed to Fred Brooks),, - Holly GolightlyHolly GolightlyHolly Golightly is a British singer-songwriter. Her mother christened her after the protagonist in Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. Her musical style ranges from garage rock to R&B.-Musical career:...
& The Brokeoffs (as "Cora") - Lonnie DoneganLonnie DoneganAnthony James "Lonnie" Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
, - Buddy GreeneBuddy GreeneBuddy Greene is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player. Most of his recordings consist of gospel music, with a distinctly Southern flavor. Much of his music is influenced by country music and bluegrass music. Greene grew up in Macon, Georgia...
- Eileen IversEileen IversEileen Ivers is an Irish-American musician.Eileen Ivers was born in New York City of Irish-born parents and grew up in the Bronx. She spent summers in Ireland and took up the fiddle at the age of nine. Her teacher was the Irish fiddler Martin Mulvihill. She toured with Mick Moloney's band The...
- Pete SeegerPete SeegerPeter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
- Old Crow Medicine ShowOld Crow Medicine ShowOld Crow Medicine Show is an old-time string band based in Nashville, Tennessee. Their music has been called bluegrass, Americana, and alt-country, in addition to old-time. Along with original songs, the band performs many pre-World War II blues and folk songs...
- Kingston Trio (on their album At Large, 1959)
- Tao Rodriguez-SeegerTao Rodríguez-SeegerTao Rodríguez-Seeger is an American contemporary folk musician. He plays banjo, guitar, harmonica, and sings in Spanish and in English. He is known as a founder of The Mammals and is the grandson of folk musician Pete Seeger....
(grandson of Pete Seeger) recorded a high-energy electric version - Bill CliftonBill CliftonBill Clifton is an American bluegrass musician and singer who is credited with having organized the very first bluegrass festival in the United States in 1961.-Biography:...
- Seldom Scene
External references
External links
- Juneberry78s — B.F. Shelton — contains mp3 of Shelton's 1927 version
- Berea College Sound Archives – Darling Corrie — version of the song by banjoist Lily May LedfordLily May LedfordLily May Ledford was an American clawhammer banjo and fiddle player. After gaining regional radio fame in the 1940s and 1950s as head of the Coon Creek Girls— one of the first all-female string bands to appear on radio— Ledford went on to gain national renown as a solo artist during...
, recorded live on the Renfro Valley Barn DanceRenfro Valley Barn DanceRenfro Valley Barn Dance was an American country music stage and radio show originally carried by WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday nights. It debuted on October 9, 1937 from the Cincinnati Music Hall and moved to the Memorial Auditorium in Dayton, Ohio. It was hosted by John Lair, Red Foley,...
in 1951