Editorial

Atkinson, David, Folk Music Journal

To the best of my knowledge, this year's publication marks the first occasion on which Folk Music Journal has featured a pig on the front cover. This splendid animal introduces George Frampton's account of the life and times of Albert Richardson, the 'Singing Sexton' of Burwash, Sussex, who was especially celebrated for his performance of the comic number 'The Old Sow'. George's research is particularly interesting for the light it sheds both on the early recording on 78 rpm records of 'folk' songs and on the role of a professional performer in popularizing such songs. Not only does this piece expand our view of 'folk' singing in the earlier part of the twentieth century, but it also demonstrates the resources that can be found by painstakingly trawling through accounts in local newspapers of the time.

Two of the articles this year deal with Scottish songs and singers. Ian Russell's analytical study focuses on a performance event, the Champion of Champions Bothy Ballad Competition, held at Elgin in 2004. He carefully …

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Publication information: Article title: Editorial. Contributors: Atkinson, David - Author. Journal title: Folk Music Journal. Volume: 9. Issue: 2 Publication date: Annual 2007. Page number: 147+. © English Folk Dance and Song Society 2009. COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group.

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