Beginning in 1977, renowned folklorist Art Rosenbaum traveled around northern Georgia making field recordings of songs learned from the oral tradition. The outcome was a two-volume anthology and a book by the same title. The first half of Volume 1 features "early mountain songs, ballads and tunes" ranging from ancient British ballads to more recent breakdowns and love songs. The second half presents "black religious singing" (traditional spirituals), some of which are recorded in a local church. Rosenbaum's liner notes provide detailed information about the singers and each song, as well as complete lyrics and photographs of the musicians and singers.