Field Recordings Volume 1: Virginia 1936-1941

I have no idea where any of these musicians were from specifically, but it's possible that some were from the Roanoke Valley. I recommend this fascinating article on this compilation, from Record Fiend. Here is an excerpt:

"My educated guess is that the first 13 tracks - consisting of spirituals, songster material, and track-lining songs - were recorded at the State Penitentiary in Richmond in 1936. John Williams's "'Twas on a Monday," Willie Williams's "(The) New Burying Ground," and "Bitin' Spider" (a variant of "Take This Hammer"), and J. (James) Wilson's "Can't You Line 'Em" and "Laying Rail (1 & 2)" are the type of spellbinding a cappella group performances that sadly seemed to be collected only when blacks were incarcerated in the hellhole prisons of the South."

Genre: Blues, Leadbelly, Gospel, Folk, Minstrel Tunes

Field Recordings • Volume 1: Virginia (1936–1941)

John Williams
1. 'Twas on a Monday

Willie Williams
2. Oh Lawd, Don't 'Low Me to Beat 'Em
3. (The) New Buryin' Ground
4. Bitin' Spider

J. Wilson
5. Can't You Line 'Em
6. Laying Rail Chant (1 & 2)
7. Have Children of My Own
8. Po' Boy
9. Frankie and Johnny

Lemuel Jones
10. Po' Farmer (Poor Farmers)
11. Shake It, Mama

James Henry Diggs
12. John Henry

Jimmie Strothers & Joe Lee
13. Freight Train Blues
14. Keep Away From the Bloodstained Banners
15. Tennessee Dog
16. Run Down, Eli
17. We Are Almost Down to the Shore
18. Jaybird (Take 1)
19. Jaybird (Take 2)
20. Corn-Shucking Time
21. Daddy, Where You Been So Long
22. I Used To Work On the Tractor
23. Thought I Heard My Banjo Say
24. House Done Built Without Hands
25. Dis Ol' Hammer
26. Shines Like a Star in the Morning
27. Do, Lord, Remember Me
28. Poontang Little, Poontang Small
29. Oh the Lamb of God Sanctified Me
30. I'll Go On
31. Rise, Run Along, Mourner

Group (Emmons Baptist Church)
32. Oh Jesus, Let Me Ride
33. I'm Strivin'

"Big Boy"
34. Blues

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