April 2001
April 2001
Smithsonian Rewrites History with New CD
The Write to said "send on to 10 people". Well, I agree and can do better than 10... It is time to act. If you would like to help Frank Wakefield, this is your chance. Daniel Sheehy, PhD, Director/Curator Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, is in charge of the release of the new Red Allen CD. This CD is made up of 28 songs, 18 are from the original Folkways album of 1962 called at that time Red Allen, Frank Wakefield & the Kentuckians. Ten songs are of Red Allen from another recording session. The Cover, get this, is a photo of Frank Wakefield and Red Allen in suits. Then off to either side in white shirts, are the banjo and bass players sitting on one knee. It is clearly the Red Allen Frank Wakefield Band we are looking at there. This is the same photo that was on the 1962 album.
If you are as miffed as Frank Wakefield, then you might want to simply place a call to Mr. Sheehy's answering machine (Phone: 202-275-1153 Fax: 202-275-1164) and ask, "Why are you reissuing the Red Allen Frank Wakefield album as the Red Allen CD?". Then you might say, "don't you think people know that what you are doing is wrong?". Then hang up. If enough people call, then he might get the point and change the cover. Some might even mention a boycott of the CD until the problem is corrected. Now wouldn't you think that The Smithsonian Institution should be the end all in historical accuracy?
Anon - but I'll find out who... Ed.
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The
reissue of this album rewrites history. From the name implies that it was
the Red Allen Band. If they wanted to issue a Red Allen CD, the cover would
be of Red Allen. After all, Red played with the a number of other bands including
The Osborne Bros, Bill Monroe. Never the less, the CD has on the cover the
photos from the original album of Red Allen, Frank Wakefield And The
Kentuckians. It should be mentioned that the only Bio in the book that
accompanies this CD is on Red Allen. Seventy five percent of the album is
of the Red Allen, Frank Wakefield And The Kentuckians band. This appears
to be a reissue of the Red Allen, Frank Wakefield And The Kentuckians
Folkways album under the name of Red Allen. Who would want to do this
and for what reason?