Product Review: Elizabeth Mitchell’s Little Seed CD Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie *Grammy Nominee*

Happy Birthday, Woodie Guthrie! Woody Guthrie’s 100^th Birthday is on July 14^th, 2012!

I have a scoop for those who love folk! I proudly grew up on folk music and had a momma who played (mostly) this type of music on her guitar for me when I was little. She came from a musical family and got interested in music after she spent many hours writing lyrics from popular songs for her brother’s popular local band to learn (and that her father managed) when she was in high school. I would actually say she got into playing guitar by osmosis! She grew up in the wave of the groovy and popular folk-rockishness of the 60s and 70s and it definitely shows in the music she played us. The first song I learned on guitar as a child was Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowing in the Wind’ (Woody was Dylan’s idol) and that was quickly followed up by many other popular folk songs before my time. While my passion turned to songwriting very early (sigh, I was a music snob for a brief period, refusing to only play original songs – ha!), I have re-established my love of folk since becoming a momma and love to play these very passionate yet simple tunes that feel very ‘real’ and ‘American’ and ‘free’ to me. I was really excited to learn that in honor of Woody Guthrie’s 100^th birthday, the Smithsonian (yes, the national museum of the United States) Folkways Recordings was putting out renditions of his classic songs that are kid-friendly.

Elizabeth Mitchell’s Little Seed CD Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie is what I think of as the pure beauty of music at its core. If you have any appreciation of folk music, I am sure you have heard of Woody and at least a few of his songs (‘This Land is Your Land’, anyone?) and Elizabeth captures his songs in a very unique way. Her voice is almost like a breathless whisper and when I hear her sing ‘Sleep Eye’ or ‘Why, Oh Why?’, I feel a sense of parental love wash over me. Not only does Elizabeth talk about her love of Woody in the CD insert, she brought in her friends and family to help her record this album. Although Woody himself was a very complicated man with many issues (oh, he did have issues!) there is a sweet love you can hear in his songs about his kids and it reminds me of my mom singing to me. Now I am the one playing and writing songs for my own daughter. Folksy, loving songs that she is already starting to request – by name. I guess that is why this album touches me and I am happy to share the FREE streams of ‘Bling Blang’ and ‘This Land is Your Land’ from this page here. Enjoy while you can!

Track Listing:

Riding in My Car
Bling Blang*
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8*
Why, Oh Why *
Sleep Eye *
Who’s My Pretty Baby?
Rattle My Rattle*
This Land Is Your Land*
Merry-Go-Round*
One Day Old
Little Sugar
Grassy Grass Grass
Little Seed*

*Previously Unreleased

About Smithsonian Folkways Recordings: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. Folkways Recordings was started by Moses Asch (1905-1986) so that he could record what he called the ‘people’s music’ from around the world. Under Asch’s direction, he created one of the most influential record labels in the world that included recordings from Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Lead Belly. Amazing! The Smithsonian acquired Folkways in 1987 from the Asch estate and has continued to ensure Asch’s amazing collection continues for future generations. Little Seed is Elizabeth’s third Smithsonian Folkways album. This momma of one daughter has a great website with her other albums and she will be touring this summer, so check out her website!

Update December 2012: This album was just nominated for Best Children’s Album for 2012 (Grammy Awards 2013 is set for February 10, 2013)!

Elizabeth Mitchell’s Little Seed CD Songs for Children by Woody Guthrie *Grammy Nominee*

www.folkways.si.edu

Not yet available for purchase! The CD will be available for purchase ($14.99) or download ($9.99) at the Folkways website on July 10^th!