Texas Gladden

about

Texas Gladden (1895-1967) was an American folk singer born in Saltville, Virginia. She was best known for her traditional Appalachian ballad style of singing, which she began to record in the 1930's. In 1941, along with her brother, musician Hobart Smith, she began to record with pioneer folk archivist and musicologist Alan Lomax. The largest collection of her work, which includes 37 tracks of songs and interviews is compiled on the album Texas Gladden: Ballad Legacy which Lomax produced as part of his Southern Journey series. This album contains traditional ballads of Anglo-Saxon/Celtic origin, such as Barbara Allen, Mary Hamilton, and Lord Thomas as well as regional songs and even a Civil War-era ghost story. She did not enjoy much fame during her life and has remained a relatively obscure artist. Her work did experience a resurgence in popularity during the 1960's as she was rediscovered by Joan Baez, and more recently through harpist Joanna Newsom's cover of the traditional Appalachian style song Three Little Babes. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

top songs

albums

Ballad Legacy

Portraits: Texas Gladden, "Ballad Legacy" - The Alan Lomax Collection

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I'll Be So Glad When the Sun Goes Down: Alan Lomax’s "Southern Journey," 1959–1960

Portraits: Texas Gladden: Ballad Legacy

Sounds of the South

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Wave the Ocean, Wave the Sea: Alan Lomax’s "Southern Journey," 1959–1960

A Treasury Of Library Of Congress Field Recordings

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The Alan Lomax Collection from the American Folklife Center

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The Roots of Nick Cave

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I'll Be So Glad When The Sun Goes Down: Field Recordings from Alan Lomax's "Southern Journey", 1959-1960 (2010, Mississippi)

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Virginia Traditions: Ballads from British Tradition

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The Alan Lomax Collection: Portraits - Ballad Legacy

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