Art of Field Recording Volume II: Fifty Years of Traditional Music Documented by Art Rosenbaum

A monumental collection of American folk traditions, spanning five decades of field recordings.

This follow-up to the Grammy Award–winning Art of Field Recording Volume I presents 107 rare and remarkable performances recorded by folklorist, artist, and musician Art Rosenbaum. From ballads, blues, and spirituals to fiddle tunes, ring plays, and shape-note hymns, this set illuminates the vibrant, lived traditions of communities across the United States.

Rosenbaum’s work documents singers, storytellers, and musicians in their element—on porches, in churches, at community gatherings—offering an unparalleled portrait of American grassroots creativity. This is folk culture at its most immediate, heartfelt, and enduring.

What’s Included

• 107 audio tracks, recorded between the 1950s and 2000s
• Four collections of newly remastered audio recordings
• Survey – A wide-ranging collection from Cajun reels to blues guitar, shape-note singing, and ballads.
• Religious – Spirituals, gospel quartets, Primitive Baptist hymns, and sacred harp traditions.
• Accompanied Songs and Ballads – From banjo ballads and fiddle duets to classics like “Barbara Allen” and “John Henry.”
• Unaccompanied Songs and Ballads – Haunting ballads, work songs, and unaccompanied laments.
• View the complete tracklist here: [Insert hosted PDF link]
• 96-page illustrated book (PDF) featuring:
• Essays and annotations by Art Rosenbaum
• Lyrics, song histories, and contextual notes
• Archival photographs and artwork documenting performers and traditions

Praise & Reviews

“Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music for a new generation...” – USA Today

“…spooky and blindingly beautiful.”

– The New York Times

“Every tune in Art of Field Recording is a gem, and shine all the brighter because Rosenbaum’s love of music—and the people who do it—takes the listener on a journey into out-of-the-way American places where traditions are still created, re-created, and passed on down the line.”

– Black Grooves

“The first volume was called ‘a gold mine, an ark… spooky and blindingly beautiful’ by The New York Times. This sequel is equally stunning in scope and detail.”

– The New Yorker