Jean Ritchie

Jean Ritchie
Ritchie playing the dulcimer, c. 1950s
Born
Jean Ruth Ritchie

(1922-12-08)December 8, 1922
DiedJune 1, 2015(2015-06-01) (aged 92)
EducationUniversity of Kentucky
OccupationFolk musician
Labels
Spouse
(m. 1950; died 2010)

Jean Ruth Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player,[1] called by some the "Mother of Folk".[2] In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way (orally, from her family and community), many of which were Appalachian variants of centuries old British and Irish songs, including dozens of Child Ballads.[3][4] In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences,[5] as well as writing some of her own songs using traditional foundations.[4]

She is ultimately responsible for the revival of the Appalachian dulcimer, the traditional instrument of her community, which she popularized by playing the instrument on her albums and writing tutorial books.[4]

She also spent time collecting folk music in the United States and in Britain and Ireland,[6][7] in order to research the origins of her family songs and help preserve traditional music.[4]

She inspired a wide array of musicians, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Shirley Collins, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris and Judy Collins.[5][2][8]

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 359/60. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. ^ a b Derienzo, Paul (June 18, 2015). "Jean Ritchie, 92, the Village's 'Mother of Folk'". amNewYork. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  3. ^ "Jean Ritchie: Ballads from her Appalachian Family Tradition". Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Jean Ritchie obituary". The Guardian. June 3, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Jean Ritchie Obituary (1922–2015) – The Columbian". obits.columbian.com. June 3, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference education.ket.org was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Jean Ritchie Folk Music of Ireland and Scotland Recordings | Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog". berea.libraryhost.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Jean Ritchie served as inspiration for Bob Dylan, Shirley Collins and". The Independent. June 4, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2020.

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