MUSIC

Appalachian Music ~ Wildwood Flower

Laura Williams: 12 string Guitar, Vocals
Damon Williams: Banjo

A variant of the song I’ll Twine ‘Mid the Ringlets, Wildwood Flower was first published in 1860 by Joseph Philbrick Webster, who composed the music, and lyrics attributed to Maud Irving. Other versions of the song include The Pale Amaranthus (collected in Kentucky and North Carolina and first reported in 1911), Raven Black Hair and The Pale Wildwood Flower (collected 1915-1919), and The Frail Wildwood Flower.
In 1928 The original Carter Family first recorded Wildwood Flower on the Victor label. Woody Guthrie used the tune of I’ll Twine ‘Mid the Ringlets for the verses of his song The Sinking of the Reuben James, although he added a chorus to the song.
The original poem from which the lyrics derived has been lost.