Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields is a 70-page book and two CD compilation of old and new music from southern
Appalachiancoalfields. The project was produced by
Jack Wright and is a benefit for the Lonesome Pine Office on Youth in
Wise County,
Virginia.
The songs included cover a range of topics related to
coal culture such as
mining accidents and
black lung disease. Some of the artists are natives of the U.S. coal mining region while others have less direct ties. Both vintage recordings and contemporary music have been combined with detailed liner notes giving context to both the songs and the artists. Musicologist
Archie Green adds a "Sanctus" note to Wright's "Introduction."