Ollie Gilbert

Ollie Gilbert (1892–1980) was a folk musician from the Ozarks in Arkansas.[1][2] She sometimes performed as "Auntie Ollie". Max Hunter recorded her singing more than 300 folk songs.[3]

She was from the Mountain View area.[4]

In 1964, she and Jimmie Driftwood were interviewed by Studs Terkel.[5] A recording of her performing "Willow Green" is on the album Songs of the Ozarks.[6] An archival recording of her performing Balladeer of Cole Younger was presented on Danny Dozier's Ozark Highlands Radio show where she was introduced as a "prodigious Ozark folk balladeer".[7]

One writeup described her voice as being like gravel.[8]

She recorded Auntie Ollie Gilbert Sings Old Folksongs to Her Friends on Rackensack RLP.[4] She recorded a version of Blue Suede Shoes in 1965.[9] Gilbert was an influence on Shirley Collins who visited and recorded her on a trip with Alan Lomax.[10] Her husband Oscar Gilbert played the fiddle, was also a singer, and was a moonshiner.[10]

References
  1. "Ollie Eva Woody Gilbert (1892–1980) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas". www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net.
  2. "Jewish Post 14 February 1975 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov.
  3. Cochran, Robert (February 3, 1996). Our Own Sweet Sounds: a Celebration of Popular Music in Arkansas - 2nd Ed. (p). University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 9781610752947 – via Google Books.
  4. William M. Clements (1992). Arkansas Folklore Sourcebook (c). University of Arkansas Press. p. 237. ISBN 978-1-61075-033-2.
  5. "Jimmie Driftwood, Ollie Gilbert in conversation with Studs Terkel". The WFMT Studs Terkel Radio Archive.
  6. "Various - Folk Songs From The Ozarks". Discogs.
  7. "PRX". beta.prx.org.
  8. Nelson, Sarah Jane (Spring 2016). "A Salesman Amidst Scholars—Collector Max Hunter" (PDF). CDSS News. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  9. Cochran, Robert (23 December 1996). Our Own Sweet Sounds: a Celebration of Popular Music in Arkansas - 2nd Ed. (p). University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 9781610752947 – via Google Books.
  10. folkradiouk (27 October 2016). "Shirley Collins: New Video 'Pretty Polly' + Live Dates - Folk Radio UK".
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