Remembering Jean Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015). She was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk". 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. In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences, as well as writing some of her own son

"Shady Grove" is a traditional Appalachian folk song believed to have originated in eastern Kentucky around the beginning of the 20th century. It is set in Dorian mode and was first published in the Journal of American Folklore, dated 1915. The song has been widely adopted in the repertoire of bluegrass, as well as being common among old-time musicians of the Cumberlands. Sung by both traditional folk musicians and folk revival musicians, it is sometimes identified as a courting song. The song d

Remembering Jean Ruth Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) She was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk." 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. In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences, as well as writing some of her own