Dillard Chandler

about

Dillard Chandler (April 16, 1907 – January 1992) was an American Appalachian Folk singer from Madison County, North Carolina. He is chiefly known for his a cappella performances on compilation albums recorded by folklorist and musicologist John Cohen. Contents Chandler grew up in an old log cabin in the isolated mountain community of Sodom, North Carolina. This section of the North Carolina mountains is particularly rich in ballads, and noted folklorist Cecil Sharp transcribed several "Old World" ballads sung to him by several of Chandler's relatives in 1916.Chandler described the hills he lived in as being too rugged for a car to access. Often, his walk to school would be made impossible by footlogs being washed away by a creek. Chandler said that as soon as he became old enough, he left school to work in the logging industry. He was illiterate. During the American folk music revival in the 1960's, John Cohen traveled to Western North Carolina to research and record traditional ballad singers.[2][4] Old Love Songs & Ballads from the Big Laurel, North Carolina and Dark Holler: Old Love Songs and Ballads are compilation albums of these recordings. The subject matter of the traditional songs is often dark; there are themes of murder, revenge, infidelity, and abandoned children.[5] The origin of Chandler's songs range from 16th century Spanish ballads, to a tale of a hanging in nearby Burnsville, to a prison song from Gastonia.[2] Allmusic writes that Chandler sings with "

top songs

albums

Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways

Dillard Chandler: The End of an Old Song

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Dark Holler: Old Love Songs And Ballads

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Back Roads to Cold Mountain

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Old Love Songs & Ballads from the Big Laurel, North Carolina

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High Atmosphere

The End of an Old Song

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High Atmosphere: Ballads And Banjo Tunes From Virginia And North Carolina

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Dark Holler: Old Love Songs An

Classic Mountain Songs

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50 Years: Where Do You Come From? Where Do You Go?

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Bound For Glory

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