Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger

Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger
Studio album by
Burl Ives
ReleasedAugust 1941
GenreFolk
LabelOkeh
Alternative covers
1944 Columbia album with Flora's cover art

Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger (Okeh K-3) is a 1941 album by Burl Ives consisting of four 10-inch records (78 rpm, 6315-6318). This set marked Ives' debut as a recording artist. He accompanies himself on the guitar as he sings 12 folk songs.[1]

The same collection of songs was re-released as The Wayfaring Stranger by Columbia Records (C-103) on four 10-inch records (78 rpm, 36733-36736) in August 1944, with cover art by Jim Flora.[2] This collection should not be confused with Ives' album The Wayfaring Stranger released on Asch in 1944 with different songs.

It was released again on Columbia (CL 6109) on one 10-inch microgroove record (331⁄3 rpm) in 1950, also with Flora's cover art.[3]

In a 1990 interview, Flora said, "Burl Ives was a troublemaker. His wife handled his affairs and if you forgot some da-da-da, she was on the phone to the president of Columbia. I don’t know whether we had to do this over again or what."[4]

  1. ^ Taubman, Howard (August 21, 1941). "Records; The Smokies. Mountain Melodies--and More Folksongs--Speech and Poetry--Other Releases". The New York Times. New York City. p. X6. LCCN 2001580800.
  2. ^ Daniels, William R. (1985). The American 45 and 78 RPM Record Dating Guide, 1940–1959. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 37. LCCN 00534844.
  3. ^ Gart, Galen (1989). ARLD: The American Record Label Directory and Dating Guide, 1940–1959. Milford, New Hampshire: Big Nickel Publications. p. 49. LCCN 93704386.
  4. ^ Grant, Angelynn (1990). "Jim Flora Interview". Angelynn Grant Designs.