Hailing from dust bowl territory, she related to the wandering migrants that flooded into California looking for work. As the Depression worsened, she joined the relief efforts and began working at the FSA government camps. She documented the daily struggles of these poor families, filling countless journals.
From these notes, she began writing a novel: Whose Names are Unknown. It caught the eye of a publisher at Random House. Unfortunately, Sanora's hopes were dashed when John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath was released and gained instant national fame. Sadly, Random House and other publishers refused to publish another book about the dust bowl. This rejection stunted Sanora for nearly 20 years when she published The Lost Traveler, followed by her memoir, An Owl on Every Post. Whose Names are Unknown collected dust until 2004 when it was published by University of Oklahoma Press, one year before Sanora died. So as we close out women's history month, let's remember the great women who were nearly forgotten and hope we discover the ones who were. -Michelle Leigh Moore Suggested sites:Want to buy Sanora Babb's Novel?
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Our love for Woody Guthrie began in 2015 when we saw the musical production of Woody Sez. His life was filled with tragedy and loss, but he was a man who did not quit. Woody was restless and you can hear it in his songs. He was constantly on the move, never getting comfortable. From his restlessness, he found a strong and powerful voice. He used this voice to tell about the common man's plight, becoming a modern day folk hero.
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Pastures of Plenty is one of our favorite Woody Guthrie songs.
It tells the tale of wandering dust bowlers. These hard-working people were ignored and pushed to the side, but our way of life depended on them. They worked our farms and cultivated our land, but we did not show them any gratitude, especially during the stress of the Great Depression.
Guthrie would sometimes pair his lyrics with familiar folk melodies. The song could then travel far and wide, instantly becoming recognizable, encouraging people to listen.
Pastures of Plenty uses the beautiful folk melody of "Pretty Polly", an Appalachian murder ballad dating back to the 18th century. It has a haunting and mysterious quality that we love. Below is a video of us performing it.
Once you watch our video, please keep scrolling. We have included some suggested podcasts and albums. Please take a listen to learn more about Woody and his songs.
We hope you enjoy his story and his music as much as we do.
It tells the tale of wandering dust bowlers. These hard-working people were ignored and pushed to the side, but our way of life depended on them. They worked our farms and cultivated our land, but we did not show them any gratitude, especially during the stress of the Great Depression.
Guthrie would sometimes pair his lyrics with familiar folk melodies. The song could then travel far and wide, instantly becoming recognizable, encouraging people to listen.
Pastures of Plenty uses the beautiful folk melody of "Pretty Polly", an Appalachian murder ballad dating back to the 18th century. It has a haunting and mysterious quality that we love. Below is a video of us performing it.
Once you watch our video, please keep scrolling. We have included some suggested podcasts and albums. Please take a listen to learn more about Woody and his songs.
We hope you enjoy his story and his music as much as we do.
Video: Pastures of Plenty
Suggested Listenings:
Suggest Playlists:
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Suggested SItes:
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lady and the Bard
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