# Out on the Western Plains"

The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress challenged musical artists to interpret material from its unparalleled archive of ethnographic recordings of traditional folk music. Artists were asked to put their own spin on these archival treasures, and to perform them at a special showcase during the Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City, Missouri in 2023. The showcase was recorded for this webcast. This video features Rachel Sumner and her band Traveling Light performing the song "Out on the Western Plains:from a field recording of Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly) on voice and guitar, recorded by John Lomax at Angola State Prison Farm in Angola, Louisiana, in July, 1934. From the John Lomax Southern States Collection, AFC 1935/002: AFS 122 B. Released commercially as "When I Was A Cowboy" on Lead Belly: Let It Shine On Me: The Library Of Congress Recordings, Volume Three, Track 10 (Rounder CD 1046). There are three different recordings of Lead Belly performing this song in the AFC archive: the first was in July, 1933 in Angola, Louisiana; the second was in July, 1934 in Angola, Louisiana; and the third was in February, 1935, in Wilton, Connecticut.

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2023
- By: American Folklife Center
- Genres: Western
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/2025661206/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/2025661206?play=1)