Fromtheseventeenththroughthenineteenthcenturies,asteadystreamofScotsmigratedtoUlsterandeventuallyonwardacrosstheAtlantictoresettleintheUnitedStates.ManyoftheseScots-IrishimmigrantsmadetheirwayintothemountainsofthesouthernAppalachianregion.TheybroughtwiththemawealthoftraditionalballadsandtunesfromtheBritishIslesandIreland,acarryingstreamthatmergedwithsoundsandsongsofEnglish,German,Welsh,AfricanAmerican,French,andCherokeeorigin.TheirenduringlegacyofmusicflowstodayfromAppalachiabacktoIrelandandScotlandandaroundtheglobe.RitchieandOrrguidereadersonamusicalvoyageacrossoceans,linkingpeopleandsongsthroughcenturiesofadaptationandchange.EnrichedbytheinsightsofkeycontributorstothelivingtraditiononbothsidesoftheAtlantic,accompanyingthisabundantlyillustratedvolumeisanonlineSpotifyplaylistfeaturingover20songsbymusiciansprofiledinthebook,includingDollyParton,DougieMacLean,CaraDillon,JohnDoyle,PeteSeeger,SheilaKayAdams,JeanRitchie,DocWatson,DavidHolt,AnaisMitchell,AlPetteway,andmore.
