A unique window into the fieldwork of Professor John Wesley Work, III, this compilation brings forward the private collection of Work's field recordings, collected throughout the south in the late 1930s and early 1940s. A classically trained composer, Work still felt it vital to collect the folk expressions of the South's rural black communities. This collection gathers sacred harp singing, quartets, string bands, blues and gospel singing totaling 14 tracks in one enlightening package. Extensive liner notes contributed by independent music scholar, Bruce Nemerov. This CD presents fourteen tracks of remastered field recordings, cleaned up for modern ears while retaining the life of the original recordings.