Performer Notes

Personnel: Karen Dalton (vocals, guitar, banjo).
Audio Remasterer: Peter Mew.
Liner Note Author: Dick Weissman.
Recording information: Pine Street, Boulder, Colorado (1962-1963).
It's likely that ordinarily these home recordings, done circa 1962 and 1963 (likely on a two-track machine), would not have found release, as the sound quality is a little circumspect and the performances a little unpolished. Such was the strength of Karen Dalton's cult following by 2008, however, that many listeners were eager to hear any material that could be found by the singer, who issued only two albums during her lifetime. Accompanying herself on banjo and 12-string guitar (sometimes both at once, via overdubbing), Dalton concentrates on traditional folk-flavored tunes on this 41-minute set, such as "If I Had a Ribbon Bow," "Red Apple Juice," "Nottamun Town," "Skillet Good and Greasy," and "Green Rocky Road." The presence of very light drums and what seems like it might be electric guitar on the bluesy "In the Evening" gives that track a slight folk-rock quality, as though it might have been recorded at a later time than the other tracks. Though Dalton's distinctively sober, plaintive vocals come through strongly throughout the disc, the takes are a bit ragged in places, in part perhaps because of the difficulties in making overdubbed recordings outside of a standard studio setting. While it's evident that Dalton is a talented singer from the basis of these recordings, their tentative informality means it's not the best representation of her assets, which are better reflected by her studio efforts, as flawed as those might have been in the eyes of some fans. Green Rocky Road is thus really a fans-only type release, with a slight field recording-type quality. ~ Richie Unterberger

Professional Reviews

Spin (p.94) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "Dalton specialized in haunting, quixotic renderings of traditionals...which are beautifully represented here."

Q (Magazine) (p.147) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "The DIY nature of tracks such as 'Katie Cruel' and 'Ribbon Bow' give Dalton's world-weary voice and convoluted banjo figures an eerie quality, but a timeless one, too..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.121) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[H]er interpretations of these ancient, mostly anonymous tunes is deeply moving."

Album: Green Rocky Road [Digipak]
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Green Rocky Road
2)	Whoopee Ti Yi Yo
3)	Ribbon Bow
4)	Katie Cruel
5)	Little Margret
6)	Red Rockin' Chair
7)	Nottingham Town
8)	Skillet Good and Greasy
9)	In the Evening

Album: Green Rocky Road [Digipak]
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Green Rocky Road
2)	Whoopee Ti Yi Yo
3)	Ribbon Bow
4)	Katie Cruel
5)	Little Margret
6)	Red Rockin' Chair
7)	Nottingham Town
8)	Skillet Good and Greasy
9)	In the Evening