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Mountain Born - The Jean Ritchie Story - Now Available on DVD

New DVD Version includes interactive menus and many chapter points to specfic interviews and songs

Produced by Guy Mendes and directed by Russ Farmer for KET, the Kentucky Network, Mountain Born: the Jean Ritchie Story focuses on Jean's life and varied career from her Southern Appalachian childhood in the large close-knit Ritchie family, to her folkoric field studies in the British Isles, the folk scene in Greenwich village of the 50's and 60's, the stage of Carnegie Hall, the Newport Folk Festival and her many recordings. The Program includes interviews with colleagues and friends Pete Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Naomi Judd, Arlo Guthrie, Oscar Brand,Peter Schickele, Doc Watson, Tommy Makem, and many others, interwoven with Documentary film footage and photographs by George Pickow and early family snapshots. In addition to the KET one hour program, we've included 30 minutes of Jean in performance through the years (1955 to 1996), singing and playing for audiences around the country.

Songs: Ginny Get Around (1955), Dance to Your Daddy (1962), Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies (1980), West Virginia Mine Disaster (1980), Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender (1986), See the Waters a-gliding (1986), Shady Grove (1996), Wondrous Love (1994), Peace Round/Amazing Grace (1993)

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Oss! Oss! Wee Oss! - Mayday in Padstow

English May Eve and May Day in Cornwall. One of the most remarkable ritual community ceremonies, recorded here on film. Directed and produced by folklorists Alan Lomax and Peter Kennedy, cinematography by George Pickow and sound by Jean Ritchie.

Oss! Oss! Wee Oss! Has won much acclaim. In addition to its appeal to general audiences, it has genuine documentary value, and was frequently included in courses taught by anthropologist Margaret Mead, who was particularly interested in the pre-ritual warm-up sessions performed by the “Hobby-Horse” and “Teaser” dancers during the hours before midnight on May Eve. The coastal village of Padstow is completely given over to the “Old Oss” and his followers on these two days.

See Hear - The Folk Music Video Magazine

Issue One of See Hear - The Folk Music Video Magazine is now available from Folkife Productions and will be followed by quarterly issues. See Hear travels around the country and abroad to find events, performances and people of interest to the folk music audience; bringing you to festivals, concerts and into the living rooms (and in some cases, the kitchens) of many fine performers in addition to rare archival footage and music videos.

Issue One features: * A trip to the 1996 Great Plains Festival, where we visit workshops and an evening concert. * Interviews with English folklorist Peter Kennedy, who shares with us some of his experiences as a collector in the British Isles and sings and plays several spirited selections from his vast repertoire; and contemporary folk/blues guitarist and song writer Woody Mann, who tells of his early beginnings as a student of the legendary Reverend Gary Davis, and sings and plays some of his own compositions that he currently performs across the country and throughout Europe. * Archival footage from 1963 of Clarence Ashley, one of the first old-time country recording artists. * Music in the Kitchens of Ireland: a special report with Jean Ritchie. In 1996 Jean visited some of the sources of her 1952 collecting trip and their descendants, and once again shared music and laughter and good times in their kitchens. * Music Video: Michael Jonathon performs with Odetta.

Issue Two features:

A visit to the 21st annual Kentucky Music Weekend

Interviews with Pete Seeger, and Jacqueline MacDonald

Folk legend, Pete Seeger, is visited by Jean Ritchie at his home in Beacon, NY. Pete discusses some of his philosophies on folk music, and sings a song or two with Jean.

Jacqueline MacDonald, our old friend from England and a frequent visitor to the United States, drops by to share some of her experiences as a member of the Spinners, and recollections of her extensive touring as half of the beloved duo: Jacqui and Bridie. Jacqui has toured extensively throughout Europe and America both as a solo performer, and with her singing partner, Bridie O’Donnel. In The U.S, She’s a perennial favorite at Café Lena, in Saratoga Springs, and many other clubs and venues. Her career includes appearances at the Newport Folk Festival, and she’s the founder of several folk music coffee houses and clubs in the UK

From the Archives:

Songs from the Texas-Mexico border region introduced by Dr. Americo Paredes. This early 1960’s footage features Nicanor Torres, a singer who was 100 years old at the time of this filming, and Cantina singer Lisandro Flores.

Backgrounds - A Concert By Jean Ritchie

With Images of Kentucky by George Pickow

Jean performs songs from her Kentucky mountain family and community, with some of her more recent compositions. Accompanying instruments when used are mountain dulcimer and guitar.

George incorporates into this recital his multi-image illustrations for four of the program selections. Using old photographs, and his own documentary pictures taken over the years, these backgrounds offer a powerful and moving reinforcement to Jean’s music.      

George and Jean have performed their backgrounds concert throughout the country.  This concert was recorded live at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.                                                                         

Streetshow - Folk Customs of England

Peter Kennedy

Throughout the years, English villagers awake to the sights and sounds of traditional dance and drama.  Some of these folk custorms include Mayday Floral Dances and the Hobby Horse that usher in Summer, and Horn Dances in September.  Around Christmas and Winter Solstice season, there are the guisers (disguisers) and the mummers (mimers) acting out their ancient rituals.

This videotape includes footage of these traditional rituals shot on locatio in England by folklorist Peter Kennedy, who along with Jean Ritchie, provides introductions and commentary on each segment.

Stir-off!  - Jean Ritchie and Neighbors

In the fall, a mountain family on Mace's Creek, Viper KY calls in the neighbors and all gather in the cane field to "stir-off" their molasses.

One of the neighbors is Jean Ritchie, and in this videotaping of the day, she is seen attending and helping at the stir-off, and talks about the workways of her people.

In addition to the narration, Jean adds a play party song and a ballad from her own family and reads an excerpt from her book, Singing Family of the Cumberlands, a part of Chapter Eleven, "Of Fall Days and Harvesting; Of Hickory Nut Hunting, and Stir-Offs, and falling in Love."

The original color footage was filmed in 1955 on location in KY.

Sally Rogers Sings for Children

Sally Rogers has a stunning new video for kids! Sally is one of those extraordinary folks who can squeeze music out of a stick and song from an eighth-grader. For years she has been delighting audiences of all ages on three continents. Join Sally for this live performance - forty minutes of singing, signing and silliness, with kids singing along, and animation by George Pickow.

The concert, in the intimate setting of a children’s story circle, features songs of ecology, civil rights, geography, and just plain fun to delight children and adults as well.

Sally accompanies herself on guitar, dulcimer, and a variety of folk instruments from around the world. There is even a rap song about recycling.

The combination of the colorful animations and puppets with live performance add another dimension, enhancing the visual impact of the video.

Songs include: