Master guitarist and vocalist E. C. Ball was a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains not far from Galax, Virginia. His notoriety outside his native region came late in life as a pair of LPs for Rounder did much to highlight his talents. Appearances at prestigious folk festivals (Wolf Trap Farm Park, Smithsonian, Chicago Folk Festival, etc.) soon followed. Ball’s career, though, dates back to the 1930s when he was first documented on recordings that John Lomax made for the Library of Congress. The scope of this issue is broad indeed, starting with the 1937 LOC recordings and going up to and including songs recorded in the middle 1970s. Although he has been dead for nearly thirty years, contemporary artists continue to draw inspiration from E. C.’s recordings. For example, one of Peter Rowan’s recent Sugar Hill release makes use of E. C.’s most popular composition, “Tribulations.” Included here is an excellent assortment of guitar tunes, folk ballads, and gospel selections.

E. C. Ball defies the type of easy classification that we desire when we revisit someone’s musical career. If John Caldron is known as an innovative, emotive jazz artist and Sonny Boy Williamson is recalled as a blues man, then it is appropriate to say that E. C. Ball was a “country” musician. A visit to his home near rural Rugby, Virginia brings one an appreciation for the beauty of the mountains that straddle the North Carolina and Virginia state boundaries. But these artificial political boundaries are just as arbitrary as pinning the label of “country” on E. C. His long life began in 1913 and included a musical world that welcomed bluegrass when it emerged in the middle 1940s, readily embraced turn-of-the-century sentimental songs, and displayed a deep appreciation for tragic ballads.

Perhaps most importantly, he was profoundly influenced by the sacred music that surrounded him. Mostly he called it “old-time gospel,” and early in his life this broad genre of sacred music became and remained the cornerstone of Ball’s musical world. E. C. enjoyed talking about meeting and recording for John and, later, Alan Lomax and the excitement of hearing early bluegrass performers, but he really liked discussing his career in gospel music. Religion was a subject that clearly touched his heart and spoke to his soul. While E. C. modestly stated that he played gospel music for more than fifty years, the truth is that he performed “church” music in many contexts. Most of the songs that he performed as part of “church work” have strong roots in late 19th and early 20th century Protestant hymnody that continue to echo throughout the South today. They also provided a musical and spiritual framework that enabled E. C. to quietly but forcefully inspire others to find and appreciate God. E. C. Ball, in retrospect, should be remembered as a man who worshipped God in song; one who cheerfully brought his spiritual message of love and Christian salvation to those around him. Approximately 77 minutes.