Criminal

Murder Ballads

 CRIMINAL + ELEPHANT MICAH

Elephant Micah with Motherball Goal

DOWNLOAD “LAWSON FAMILY”
iTUNES
DOWNLOAD  “PEARL BRYAN”

iTUNES

SEE THE BALLADS PERFORMED LIVE
TOUR DATES


 

HOW TO BRING A MURDER BALLAD BACK TO LIFE
A Technical Guide by Elephant Micah.

1.) Avoid acoustic instruments.

2. Strike a chord.

3.) Turn spookiness up to 11.

Following these three simple steps will transform even the most gruesome creations of history’s “hack” songwriters into instantly enjoyable, modern entertainment!

Elephant Micah is available for workshops in time travel and cultural forgery.


We were so excited to collaborate with Elephant Micah and Sarah Bryan on two special “murder ballad” episodes this month, Pearl Bryan and The Portrait.  

Sarah Bryan is an old-time fiddler and 78 rpm record collector. A UNC-trained folklorist (MA, 2003), she’s worked in the field of folklife documentation for more than a decade. Specializing in the cultural heritage of the American South, she has conducted documentary work for a variety of organizations including NC Folk, the North Carolina Arts Council, South Carolina Arts Commission, and Levine Museum of the New South. 

You might also be interested in The Old Time Herald and the songs of criminals and tragedy collected on this record from Smithsonian Folkways