Wayfaring Strangers: The Musical Voyage from Scotland and Ulster to Appalachia by Fiona Ritchie and Doug Orr with Darcy Orr

When the first edition of this book appeared, it was a New York Times best-seller. This second edition differs from the first in that it is paperback, not hardback, that instead of a cd in the inside back cover, it refers the reader to a Spotify playlist, and it has a new three-page Afterword. Co-author Fiona Ritchie was born and educated in Scotland and came to the United States where she worked in broadcasting and presented a Thistle and Shamrock Concert Tour before returning to Scotland where she continues to promote traditional music and is host of a weekly Thistle and Shamrock program that is broadcast in the United States on National Public Radio. Her co-author is Doug Orr, President Emeritus of Warren Wilson College where he founded the Swannanoa Gathering of music workshops. Those two are the perfect partners to pull off this splendid book that features 43 musical artists that exemplify the way that traditional music has jumped the pond.  “Essential . . .A gorgeous gift book.”T