Jeannie Robertson - James Porter

Combining biography, folklore, oral history and ethnomusicology, this book explores the life and repertoire of the Scottish traditional singer Jeannie Robertson (1908-1975). Quoting frequently from Jeannie Robertson's own oral accounts of her life, James Porter and Herschel Gower trace her career as a member of the marginal nomadic group in Northeast Scotland known as "travellers", whose origin is obscure. They explain the importance of traditional song in her family and community, and assess the rapport she established with her audiences. Eighty of her songs are included, complete with musical notation.