In 1970, when she was seventy years old, Audrey Barclay participated in the recording project of a man named Max Hunter. Here's what Dr. Michael F. Murray, of Missouri State University, had to say about Max Hunter's Song Collection:
"The Max Hunter Collection is an archive of almost 1600 Ozark Mountain folk songs, recorded between 1956 and 1976. A traveling salesman from Springfield, Missouri, Hunter took his reel-to-reel tape recorder into the hills and backwoods of the Ozarks, preserving the heritage of the region by recording the songs and stories of many generations of Ozark history. As important as the songs themselves are the voices of the Missouri and Arkansas folks who shared their talents and recollections with Hunter."
There are links to each of Audrey's songs in the sidebar of this blog; all you have to do is click on the song title, then on the play arrow.
You might also enjoy exploring the rest of the Max Hunter Collection. To do so, click the following link:
What a wonderful tribute to your grandmother. I have been listening to her songs tonight.
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Thank you, Nancy. I think our writing class helped me understand how important it is to preserve stories like these. As for the songs, can you imagine how excited I was when I googled my grandmother's name and discovered those songs? It was the first time I'd heard her voice since I was in my teens, and I recognized it instantly. A special moment.
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