Laura Ingalls Wilder – musicologist?

There’s a new CD coming out on June 14 called Happy Land: Musical Tributes to Laura Ingalls Wilder (for those who don’t know, author of the “Little House” books). The album takes 18 tracks from the more than 120 songs – from the canon we now consider Americana – that were mentioned in 8 of Wilder’s books, fictionalized accounts of her life in late 19th century on the American prairie. In her books, Pa was a fiddler and many events revolved around music and community. Happy Land is co-produced by Butch Baldassari, leader of the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, and features performances by Riders in the Sky, David Olney, Andrea Zonn, Deborah Packard, Pat Enright, Douglas P. Green, Keith Little and The Princely Players.