Adventures of a Ballad Hunter

Focus on American History Series

By: John A. Lomax

Narrated by: Tony Ramey

Growing up beside the Chisholm Trail, captivated by the songs of passing cowboys and his bosom friend, an African American farmhand, John A. Lomax developed a passion for American folk songs that ultimately made him one of the foremost authorities on this fundamental aspect of Americana. Across many decades and throughout the country, Lomax and his informants created over five thousand recordings of America’s musical heritage, including ballads, blues, children’s songs, fiddle tunes, field hollers, lullabies, play-party songs, religious dramas, spirituals, and work songs. He acted as honorary curator of the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress, directed the Slave Narrative Project of the WPA, and cofounded the Texas Folklore Society.

Adventures of a Ballad Hunter is a memoir of Lomax’s eventful life. It recalls his early years and the fruitful decades he spent on the road collecting folk songs, on his own and later with son Alan and second wife Ruby Terrill Lomax. Vibrant, amusing, often haunting stories of the people he met and recorded are the gems of this book. Adventures of a Ballad Hunter illuminates vital traditions in American popular culture and the labor that has gone into their preservation.

The book is published by University of Texas Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

"Adventures of a Ballad Hunter is 'an essential part of American history." (Times Literary Supplement)

"Deserves to be widely read." (Old Time News)

"Essential reading for neo-folkies, alt-country fans, blues enthusiasts, and most other stripes of music lover." (Kirkus)

©2017 University of Texas Press (P)2023 Redwood Audiobooks

An Important and Vital Work

I read this book because my grandfather Sam Dawson of Somerville, Texas is said to have been recorded by John Lomax’s son Alan Lomax. While I did not find any reference to this recording in this book, there is only so much that John Lomax could write about the over 10,000 recordings they made. I learned a lot about their techniques and about folk, spirituals, and cowboy music. This book is an important and vital work. John Lomax concludes by wishing he had more time and space to write more. I recommend this book to folk music lovers.