All-Star Hootenanny (Various Artists) (1963): This album called All-Star Hootenanny is one of several albums having that name that came out during the folk revival of the early 1960’s; it collects a nice mixture of songs by a variety of artists. Highlights include Bob Dylan’s original release of “Blowin’ in the Wind”, an a capella version by Pete Seeger of his song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”, “Nine Pound Hammer” by Johnny Cash, and “Brennan on the Moor” by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, about the exploits of a 19th Century Irish highwayman named Willy Brennan. Bob Dylan borrowed the latter tune for his own song about a different Willie, variously called “Ride Willie Ride”, “Rambling, Gambling Willie”, and “Gambling Willie’s Dead Man’s Hand”. This number was among four songs that were included on the original release of Dylan’s second album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan that were replaced a short time later with other songs. The few extant copies of the original Freewheelin’ album with the alternate song list can bring over $10,000.
