CONCERT INTRODUCTION

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Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair is a lovely ballad that has been sung both by male and female vocalists to express their love for their sweethearts, as Nina Simone did in her famous 1964 rendition, when these words also hinted at the burgeoning black pride movement of the 60s.

 

Thought to be a folksong brought across the Atlantic by Scottish settlers in southern Appalachia, the melody and lyrics were originally collected by noted folk music archivist Cecil Sharp in the hills of North Carolina in 1916. The haunting melody with somewhat plaintive lyrics has been recorded by artists such as Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and Judy Collins, and by groups including the King Singers and the Robert Shaw Chorale.

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Barbara Garlock - Jan., 2018