Includes liner notes by Kenneth S. Goldstein.
When you hear Woody Guthrie's name, most likely the first image that comes to mind that of the righteous populist, the politically minded troubadour who toured the country with a guitar stenciled "This machine kills fascists" and sang out against injustice and for humanity.
Then there was Woody Guthrie the Oklahoma wildcatter, who spun tales and sang the old songs, and when he was in the company of Cisco Houston, that's the side that shone through. Collecting most of their best recordings, VOLUME ONE AND TWO features such traditional ballads and tunes as "Gypsy Davy," "John Henry," and "Skip to My Lou," sung with riotous good humor and abundant affection for the music's roots, alongside sly originals like "More Pretty Gals Than One." There's not really much difference between the two Woody Guthries after all, but VOLUME ONE AND TWO showcases a side of the singer often overlooked.