Missing Classic Song

November 7, 2009 6:00 AM

Shortly, after 9/11 David Letterman hosted Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Nancy Griffith performing an acapella version of the Carter Family's' "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." Anyone know where I can find the audio or video of this forgotten classic? Thanks
posted by captainscared to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Don't know where you can find audio or video, but it was Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Sheryl Crow singing and the air date was Friday, September 21, 2001. Info about it at CBS (but page doesn't load properly for me).
posted by mmw at 6:24 AM on November 7, 2009

Response by poster: Sheryl Crow, yes you're right.
posted by captainscared at 7:21 AM on November 7, 2009

This LiveJournal page lists it under "SHERYL CROW RARITIES 1991-1996" VOLUME 1. Maybe you could contact the page's creator?

mmw: The text is there, but you have to highlight it. The relevant text: "SHERYL CROW, EMMYLOU HARRIS, AND GILLIAN WELCH: Singing, "Rising Star" followed by "Will The Circle Be Unbroken." "
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:22 AM on November 7, 2009

Is it a forgotten classic as a song or a classic with those 3 performers?
posted by Postroad at 8:12 AM on November 7, 2009

Response by poster: The song is a classic. The performance is particularly heartfelt.
posted by captainscared at 8:39 AM on November 7, 2009

The rights to music performed and recorded/taped on the Letterman Show probably belong to the network or to David Letterman himself. Although Harris has two trio albums with Dolly Parton and Linda Rondstadt, and she has appeared with Gillian Welch a few times, I can't find any evidence that Harris, Welch, and Crow ever recorded anything together.
posted by birdwatcher at 9:40 AM on November 8, 2009

Response by poster: @birdwatcher They didn't record together/ Thy had a join performance as noted by MonkeyToes. Thanks.
posted by captainscared at 5:22 PM on November 8, 2009