Jack Elliott & Derroll Adams
Folkland Songs / Riding in Folkland


In the 1950s, American music pioneers singer and guitarist Jack Elliott (1931-) and singer-songwriter and five-string banjo player Derroll Adams (1925-2000) met in Topanga Canyon in California where they played together for the first time. That was the start of a musical journey that took them to Europe. Jack arrived in 1956, Derroll followed in 1957. Their music was influenced by Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, The Carter Family, Leadbelly and Pete Seeger. In 1957, the duo was offered a recording contract by Mercury Records in Milan, Italy. The few days in the studio resulted in 28 historic tracks. The two original Joker-SM 3023 and Joker-SM 3024 records were first released in 1966. Selections of these songs have appeared on various releases over the years. The two original LPs have never been reissued, until now.
The Dutch label Strictly Country Records (SCR) specializes in acoustic American music. The company maintained a friendly relationship with Derroll and his wife Danny Adams, who lived in Antwerp. In 2016, SCR released the CD Derroll Adams Live in Haarlem 1977. After obtaining the digital masters of the Italian recordings, SCR decided to remaster them with today’s technology and make this historic music available again. All fans, young and older, can now enjoy this magic from almost 70 years ago, brought to you by Derroll Adams and Jack Elliott.
SCR-94
1. MULE SKINNER BLUES
2. HOW LONG BLUES
3. PRECIOUS JEWELL
4. DEATH OF JOHN HENRY
5. AIN’T IT A SHAME
6. EAST VIRGINIA BLUES
7. STERN OLD BACHELOR
8. CIGARETTES & WHISKEY
9. THE CUCKOO
10. SALTY DOG BLUES
11. I’M GOING DOWN THE ROAD
12. RICH AND RAMBLING BOY
13. DEATH OF MR. GARFIELD
14. I’M GONNA WALK THE STREETS IN GLORY
SCR-95
1. WRECK ON THE HIGHWAY
2. PORTLAND TOWN
3. DANVILLE GIRL
4. THE TRAMP ON THE STREET
5. WORRIED MAN BLUES
6. SAN FANCISCO BAY BLUES
7. 900 MILES
8. HARD TRAVELIN’
9. MORE PRETTY GIRLS THAN ONE
10. FREIGHT TRAIN
11. TALKING BLUES
12. I’M SAD AND I’M LONELY
13. ROLL ON BUDDY
14. ROLL IN MY SWEET BABY’S ARMS