Bascom Lamar Lunsford

*21-03-1882 Mars Hill, NC, +04-09-1973

By Praguefrank

SESSIONS

1922 unknown – Bascom Lamar Lunsford

32 unknown tracks recorded by Frank Brown

15 March 1924 Atlanta, GA – Bascom Lamar Lunsford (Bascom Lamar Lunsford  [vcl/banjo])

033 8578-A JESSE JAMES  OKeh 40155

034 8579-A I WISH I WAS A MOLE IN THE GROUND  40155

27, 28 or 29 August 1925 Asheville, NC –  Bascom Lamar Lunsford – Blackwell Lunsford  (Bascom Lamar Lunsford  [vcl/banjo], Blackwell Lunsford [fiddle])

035 9292-A FATE OF SANTA BARBARA  45008

036 9293-A SHERMAN VALLEY  45008

037 THE LAST BATTLE

038 MOUNTAIN DEW

039 NOLLPROS NELLIE

040 Unknown title

9291, 9294/6 untraced. All probably by B.L.Lunsford, titles above without master number

6 February 1928 Ashland, KY –  Bascom Lamar Lunsford, The Minstrel Of The Appalachians (Bascom Lamar Lunsford  [vcl/banjo])

041 AL-117/8* LOST JOHN DEAN  Brunswick 227 Vocalion 5246

042 AL-119*/20 GET ALONG HOME CINDY  Brunswick 228

043 AL-121/2* MOUNTAIN DEW  Brunswick 219/SF CD 40082

044 AL-123*/4 “NOL PROS“ NELLIE  Brunswick 230

045 AL-125*/6 LULU WALL Brunswick 229 Vocalion 5252

046 AL-127*/8 DARBY‘S RAM  Brunswick 228 80089

047 AL-129/30* STEPSTONE  Brunswick 231 314/SF CD 40028

048 AL-131/2* I WISH I WAS A MOLE IN THE GROUND  Brunswick 219/SF CD 40028

049 AL-133/4* KIDDER COLE  Brunswick 230

050 AL-135/6* ITALY  Brunswick  227 Vocalion 5246

051 AL-137/8* LITTLE TURTLE DOVE  Brunswick 229 Vocalion 5252/SF CD 40082

052 AL-139/40* DRY BONES  Brunswick 231 314/SF CD 40082

* - master

15 April 1930 Atlanta, GA –  Bascom Lunsford (Bascom Lunsford [vcl-1/speach-2/banjo], Fred Stanley [gt], Bert :ayne [fiddle], ? [speach-3])

053 W150220 TAKE ME HOME LITTLE BIRDIE -1  unissued

054 W150221 I WISH I WAS A MOLE IN THE GROUND -1 unissued  

055 W150228-2 SPEAKING THE TRUTH-2   15595-D

056 W150229-1 A STUMP SPEECH IN THE 10TH DISTRICT  -2-3 15595-D

Missing masters are by other artists

Bascom Lamar Lunsford recorded after 1930 (see albums list).  There are  also tracks recorded in 1935 for Columbia University and in March 1949 for The Archive of Americn folk Song at The LOC (see Smithsonian/Folkways album), totally 318 (or 350) items. Also recorded between 1939-1945 for Asch Records

ALBUMS

AAFS L 29 Songs and Ballads of American History and of the Assassination of American Presidents: [unknown artist:] Phil Sheridan; The Iron Merrimac; The Cumberland's Crew; The Battle of Antietam Creek; The Southern Soldier; Washington the Great; Zolgotz; [Bascom Lamar Lunsford:] Mr. Garfield;  Charles Giteaux; Booth Killed Lincoln (2:51);  Booth Killed Lincoln (0:41)  - 52 (1937 and 1949 recordings, reissued on Rounder 1509 in 1998)

Folkways FA 2040 Smokey Mountain Ballads: Swannanoa Tunnel; Mr. Garfield; Jennie Jenkins; Little Margaret; Banks of the Ohio; Springfield Mountain; The Death of Queen Jane; Mole in the Ground – 53 (10“ album; prob. from Library of Congress recordings, 1949)

Riverside RLP 12-645 Minstrel Of The Appalachians: Poor Jesse James;   Go To Italy;  Merry Golden Tree;  I Shall Not Be Moved;  Derby Ram;  Old Man From The North Country;  Miller's Will;  Sundown;  Fly Around My Blue-Eyed Girl;  Black Jack David;  Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow;  Swing Low Chariot;  Sailor On The Deep Blue Sea;  John Henry – 56 (recorded September 1956, reissued in 1960s as The Appalichan Minstrel on Washington VM 736. Bascom Lamar Lunsford [vcl/banjo], Fred English [gt])

Rounder 0065 Music From South Turkey Creek: [Bascom Lamar Lunsford:] Free A Little Bird; Old Mountain Dew; Lily Of The West; Lord Joshuay; Drinking Of The Wine; Essie Dear; On A Bright And Summer's Morning; Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone; Poor Ellen Smith; Georgia Buck ; [George Pegram and Red Parham:] Lost John; Pig In A Pen; Red And George Breakdown; Charlie Lawson; A Leaf From The Sea; Old Joe Clark; T Model Ford And Train; Mama Blues; Roll On, Buddy; Keep My Skillet Good And Greasy; Cindy; Poor Ellen Smith; Old Rattler - 76

Smithsonian Folkways SF CD 40082 Ballads, Banjo Tunes And Sacred Songs Of Western North Carolina: Swannanoa Tunnel;The Mermaid Song; Ten Steps; Little Turtle Dove*; In the Shadow of the Pines; Swing Low; Bonny George Campbell; I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground*; On a Bright and Summer's Morning; To the Pines, To the Pines (In the Pines); Dry Bones*; The Last Gold Dollar; Rye Straw; Old Mountain Dew*; Italy; Death of Queen Jane; Old Stepstone*; Drinking of the Wine; Dedication  - 96 (*Brunswick and LOC recordings)

SINGLES

OKeh

15 March 1924 Atlanta, GA – Bascom Lamar Lunsford (Bascom Lamar Lunsford  [vcl/banjo])

40155 Jesse James /  I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground -24

45008 Fate Of Santa Barbara / Sherman Valley– 25 w. Blackwell Lunsford

Brunswick

219 Mountain Dew / I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground - 28

227 Lost John Dean / Italy - 28 (reissued on Vocalion 5246)

228 Get Along Home Cindy / Darby‘s Ram - 28

229 Lulu Wall / Little Turtle Dove – 28 (reissued on Vocalion 5252)

230 “Nol Pros“ Nellie /  Kidder Cole - 28

231 Stepstone /  Dry Bones – 28 (reissued on Brunswick  314)

Columbia

15995-D Speaking The Truth / Stump Speech In The 10th District - 30