Listen free for 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
America over the Water cover art

America over the Water

Written by: Shirley Collins
Narrated by: David Tibet, Pip Barnes, Shirley Collins
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.00

Buy Now for $21.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

In America over the Water, celebrated English folksinger Shirley Collins offers an affecting account of her year-long stint as assistant to legendary musical historian and folklorist Alan Lomax. Together, they travelled to Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Georgia, discovering Mississippi Fred McDowell and many others, in their tireless work to uncover the traditional music of America's heartland.

Blending the personal story of Shirley Collins' relationship with Lomax and offering a unique first-hand account of a country on the brink of the civil rights era, America over the Water cuts right to the heart of the blues in a fascinating account of Collins' and Lomax's ground-breaking journey across the Southern states of the USA to record the music that started it all.

Originally published more than 15 years ago, this definitive edition includes a new introduction by Shirley Collins.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Shirley Collins (P)2022 White Rabbit

What the critics say

"Shirley is a time traveller, a conduit for essential human aches, one of the greatest artists who ever lived." (Stewart Lee)

"Without doubt one of England's greatest cultural treasures." (Billy Bragg)

What listeners say about America over the Water

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.