Minstrel Lyrics?

[Daniel Pownall]

Where is a good place to get the original lyrics to the minstrel tunes? 

Thanks,

 

Daniel

[Ian Bell]

Converse's "Old Cremona Songster" is available as a PDF at Tim's Banjo Clubhouse. (link at top of this page)

[Tim Twiss]

http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/levy-search.html

 

This is also a very good resource.

[Daniel Pownall]

Thanks everyone.

[John Masciale]

Daniel,

 

Part of the problem with looking for "original" lyrics is that the more popular tunes were published with multiple sets of lyrics, depending on which Minstrel troupe was doing the publishing.   I recommend the books Dan Emmett and the Rise of Negro Minstrelsy, and Dan Partner's The Birth of the Banjo.  I've attached a bibliography of a number of books and sites I used for a talk I recently gave at the Midwest Civil War Civilian's conference.  Hope some of this is  useful.

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