Betty Smith

REVIEWS

"The gentle grace with which Mrs. Smith presents her material is a reflection of the lady herself. We are aware of her great skill and artistry, but more than that, we sense that she is sharing with us something she loves - music she is sure we will also love once we have heard it. And she is right..... we do."
- Sandy Paton, Folk Legacy Records

"A crystalline Appalachian soprano touched with sweet
eerie mournfulness...incredible voice."- Pickin' Magazine

" Betty Smith, in a voice clear as a mountain stream, animates 'Songs Traditionally Sung in North Carolina'." - Nat Hentoff, Cosmopolitan

"Her voice retains an innocence,. honesty, and emotional neutrality which suits her material and places her well within the America folk tradition and its performance style."
- Brett Sutton, North Carolina Folklore Journal

"After listening to this record, it is evident that Betty Smith is one of the great ballad singers of North Carolina." - Music City News, Nashville

"Some very special treats on this album...the playing of the psaltery...heavenly sounding plucked instrument...She has the ability to so involve herself with the music that she becomes an instrument as much as whatever she is playing."
- Victory Jazz and Folk Review, Tacoma, Washington

"In her biographical Jane Hicks Gentry: A Singer Among Singers, Betty Smith has begun the long-overdue project of reclaiming women's space on the musical landscape of Appalachia."
- Susan Eaker, Journal of Appalachian Studies

"Betty Smith, incomparable singer of the old ballads of love, blood, and untimely death...." - Dot Jackson, Charlotte Observer

"The bottom line is that with more community scholars like Smith being encouraged to publish their work, our discipline will be enriched by many studies along the lines of Jane Hicks Gentry, a work that could only have been produced by someone with a long-term commitment to the subject and the enthusiasm of a singer writing about a singer.
- Bruce E. Baker, Journal of American Folklore

"Her voice was clear, her words distinct, her musicianship sure, her singing... like a cup of herbal tea." - Beth Bassett, Brown's Guide

"This is a wonderful story and a great resource for people interested in traditional ways and music. I recommend it highly."
- Neal Walters, Dulcimer Players News

Betty Smith sings in a bittersweet tradition of mountain ballads..... her extensive knowledge and love of traditional music have made her a regional treasure. - Western Carolina University