Album Notes

*WFMT, "MIDNIGHT SPECIAL" PICK HIT OF THE WEEK!
Singer-songwriter-actor Rick Pickren's recording of "Traditional American Folk Songs" features songs exclusively from the field work of folklorists Frank and Anne Warner done in the late 1930's.
During month long summer vacations, they recorded and transcribed 200 songs which had been passed down through the generations by oral tradition.

Rick has arranged and recorded 16 of these wonderful old time songs with a traditional acoustic string band featuring Special Consensus alum Drew Carson on mandolin, Larry Sparks alum Tom Boyd on dobro and Malcolm Ruhl on acoustic bass.
These songs from the not so distant past, celebrate an America long since gone; an America still connected to ancestral traditions such as self-sufficiency, simple wisdom and family as cornerstones of everyday living.

The cover painting is by Rick's father, Donald Cody Pickren

"Pickren's approach puts a fresh sheen on these folk tunes of old" SING OUT!

"Rough and true vocals" DIRTY LINEN

Ricks' performance is "professional, thoughtful and singular"
JEFF WARNER (son of Frank and Anne Warner)

"Not just entertaining...but inspiring, enlightening and essential" TED ESELGROTH...The Children's Network

As an actor, Rick portrayed the role of Jim in the original Chicago production of Pump Boys and Dinettes and also starred in and directed Foxfire. He is featured in the films: Major League, While You Were Sleeping, U.S. Marshals and Soul Survivors. He has appeared in many TV programs, guest-starring in The Untouchables, Early Edition, Turks and The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.

Featuring: Tom Boyd of Dry Branch Fire Squad and Drew Carson of Special Consensus.