Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields is a 70-page book and two CD compilation of old and new music from southern Appalachian coalfields. The project was produced by Jack Wright and is a benefit for the Lonesome Pine Office on Youth in Wise County, Virginia.

Music of Coal
Compilation album by
Various artists
Released2007
Genreblues, bluegrass, country, folk
LabelLonesome Pine Records & Publishing
ProducerJack Wright

The songs included cover a range of topics related to coal culture such as mining accidents and black lung disease. Some of the artists are natives of the U.S. coal mining region while others have less direct ties. Both vintage recordings and contemporary music have been combined with detailed liner notes giving context to both the songs and the artists. Musicologist Archie Green adds a "Sanctus" note to Wright's "Introduction."

In the preliminary round of nominations for the 50th Grammy Awards the boxed set was under consideration for a number of awards, including, Best Recording Package, Best Liner Notes and Best Historical Album.[1] The compilation did not, however, make it the final round of nominees.[2]

Track listing

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Volume one

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  1. "Down in a Coal Mine (Excerpt)" - 1:25
  2. "Mining Camp Blues" - 2:59
  3. "Sprinkle Coal Dust on My Grave" - 2:46
  4. "Coal Miner's Blues" - 3:04
  5. "Hard Times in Coleman’s Mine" - 2:36
  6. "He’s Only a Miner Killed in the Ground" - 2:35
  7. "Coal Black Mining Blues" - 1:13
  8. "‘31 Depression Blues" - 2:52
  9. "Prayer of a Miner's Child" - 1:51
  10. "That Twenty-Five Cents You Paid" - 2:25
  11. "The L & N Don’t Stop Here Anymore" - 3:10
  12. "Dark as a Dungeon" - 1:55
  13. "Come All You Coal Miners" - 2:21
  14. "My Sweetheart’s the Mule in the Mines" - 0:22
  15. "Thirty Inch Coal" - 2:36
  16. "Black Waters" - 3:38
  17. "Roof Boltin’ Daddy" - 2:26
  18. "Dream of a Miner’s Child" - 2:46
  19. "Coal Miner's Boogie" - 2:57
  20. "The Yablonski Murder" - 3:00
  21. "What Are We Gonna Do?" - 3:01
  22. "Explosion at Derby Mine" - 4:02
  23. "Blind Fiddler" - 3:05
  24. "Loadin’ Coal" - 2:29
  25. "Coal Town Saturday Night" - 3:06
  26. "It’s Been a Long Time" - 3:15
  27. "Fountain Filled with Blood" - 3:56

Volume two

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  1. "West Virginia Mine Disaster" - 2:48
  2. "Union Man" - 3:36
  3. "Blue Diamond Mines" - 4:26
  4. "Set Yourself Free" - :50
  5. "Redneck War" - 5:22
  6. "Sixteen Tons" - 2:32
  7. "There Will Be No Black Lung in Heaven" - 2:05
  8. "Deep Mine Blues" - 3:45
  9. "I’m a Coal Mining Man" - 2:22
  10. "Dirty Black Coal" - 4:27
  11. "Black Lung" - 3:21
  12. "Coal Dust Kisses" - 4:06
  13. "Coal Tattoo" (Billy Edd Wheeler) - 4:06
  14. "A Strip Miner’s Life" - 3:00
    • Don Stanley & Middle Creek
  15. "Daddy’s Dinner Bucket" - 3:26
  16. "In Those Mines" - 3:43
  17. "Miner’s Prayer" - 3:14
  18. "Dyin’ To Make A Livin’" - 3:47
  19. "You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive" - 6:06
  20. "They Can’t Put It Back" - 2:31
  21. "Which Side Are You On?" - 5:04

References

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Further reading/listening

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