TLS, signed vertically, “Woody Guthrie,” one page, lightly-lined, 7.75 x 10, March 19, 1946. Letter to Moe Asch regarding "the album of Spirituals, Thrashers Wonders and the Two Gospel Ways." In part, with spelling and punctuation retained, Guthrie writes, "My two favorites are ‘Charity’ and ‘I love Traveling’ as you might expect. It is more like the soul and heart of all of these street singers I have heard and seen. Of course you would not always find them in the streets, but in the church, or on the parade of little bandstand. This has all of the homey love about it that you hear in a hillside cabin, and this is not always heard after the music comes to town. Is it true that these two Spiritual Keys are over sixty years each? . . . The Thrasher Wonders are wonders. They are strong and they try as hard as they know how, but they are very consciously imitating other successful money making singers, and not one out of the group has found his own natural voice, not like the free riding outswinging Gospel Keys. There is monotony and sad repetition on every Wonder side, and I am afraid that I would not give my good money for an album of their things without picking my way through a dozen records to find two good ones…At their high spots the wild harmonies are well studied and followed, well practiced and finely done, but the same identical ryme and rythmn on every side is the worst ball and chain. They sound fiery and young, which is all in their favor, and when the new success dies down, they will stand flatter on their feet and sing with more power and plainer voices. It sounds to me like their mispronunciations are a part of a planned attack on the listener, not something that the Two Gospel Keys felt and just had to pour out, take it or leave it.” A small separation along one of the intersecting mailing folds, a mild shade of toning, and a few creases, otherwise fine condition.
Founded by Asch, Folkways Records released about 2,200 albums—about one album a week—with many of those eclectic releases selling less than 100 copies a week and some selling fewer than 500 copies at all. That was fine with Asch, however, who was more interested in preserving the culture and heritage of various ethnic groups than in actually making money. The company did find some success with the likes of folk singers like Guthrie, who was correct when he suggested that the gospel group stop imitating other singers. Several years later, members of The Thrasher Wonders did indeed find their own voice, as suggested here by Guthrie, as members of the doo wop group, The Drifters. A multifaceted page in which one of the world’s greatest folk singers opines to the legendary owner of one of most fabled record companies of all time. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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