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American Patchwork: Songs and Stories of America

American Patchwork: Songs and Stories of America

From 1978 to 1985 Alan Lomax traveled the American South and Southwest with a television crew to document regional folklore with deep historical roots. From the resulting 400 hours of footage came the five-program series American Patchwork, which aired on PBS in 1991.

Created By
StatusEnded
Original NameAmerican Patchwork: Songs and Stories of America
First Air DateJuly 6, 1990
Last Air DateAugust 3, 1990
Seasons1
Episodes5
Episode Runtime 0min
LanguageEnglish
Original LanguageEnglish
Production CountriesUnited States of America
Production Companies
NetworksPBS
S01E05

Dreams and Songs of the Noble Old

Examining the talents and wisdom of elderly musicians, singers, and story-tellers, who perform not for fame or fortune but to preserve and share their culture. Stories told by Janie Hunter (80) of Johns Island, SC; ballads sung by ex-coal miner and union organizer Nimrod Workman (91), of Chatteroy, WV; fiddle tunes and tales of moonshining and feuds from Tommy Jarrell (83) of Toast, NC; and footage from the Alabama Sacred Harp Convention in Fyffe, AL, in which people of all ages gather to sing old-time shape-note hymnody.

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