A GNfN  focus on the Murder Ballad in Americana music – a genre to be found in all forms of roots music & very much present in Americana.

We get off to a lively start with the Boss…………….

Bruce Springsteen & the Seeger Sessions Band, live in Dublin Pete Seeger’s tale of Jesse James  -sort of USA Robin Hood!

Two iconic songs from the pen of Bob Dylan…………….

The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll was performed by Cage the Elephant & can be found on ‘Chimes of Freedom’ a compilation of Dylan covers, released in honour of 50 years of the work of Amnesty International………..

The sinister Tweeter the Monkey Man, was a Dylan contribution to Travelling Willburys Vol 1

 Mr Lovealie from Blueflint’s 2011 album, Maudy Tree -  character you wouldn’t want to meet on a dark night…………

Minus 5 introduced is to the Lurking Barrister, someone you wouldn’t want represent you if you were on a murder charge! It’s from their  Killingsworth album ( appropriate title…..) , also released in 2009 & with input from Decemberist, John Moen…………

Decemberists with a terrible tale of infanticide, The Rake’s Song, from their 2009 album The Hazards of Love

Simone Felice’s’ Ballad of Sharon Tate’ – from his 2012, self- titled, debut solo album.

 Now a couple of women who have no regrets…………..

Gillian Welch’s story of the timely death of Caleb Meyer from Hell Among the Yearlings, released in 1998……….

Or,the Whale’s murderous tale of Terrible Pain, to be found on their , self- titled second album from 2011.

Josh Ritter’s take on mayhem & murder – Folk Bloodbath – from 2010’s  So Runs the World Away.

 The Handsome Family’s tale of multiple murder After we Shot the Grozzley, from their Last Days of Wonder album was followed by……

 The eerie The Bottom Feeders, to be found on When the Saints Go from Jim Clements & the Right to Die

 Ray La Montagne, with Narrow Escape from his aptly named album of 2004, Trouble

 We end back where we started, with a classic tale of the untimely end of a good hearted outlaw from another founding father of American folk.

Woody Guthrie’s song, Pretty Boy Floydd, as performed by the Byrds, on their seminal album of Americana – Sweetheart of the Rodeo