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Vera Hall

Episode 5 of 5

Opera singer Peter Brathwaite invites us in to the iconic yet little-known voice of folk singer Vera Hall, in a personal exploration of what makes it - and her - so special.

Opera singer Peter Brathwaite shares his passion for five very different singers whose voices, artistry and lives inspire and move him, and whose stories he needs to tell.

If you've listened to much pop music this century, you've almost certainly heard the voice of Alabama folk singer Vera Hall - though you might not know it. Brilliantly sampled by Moby in his single Natural Blues, Hall's extraordinary voice was recorded several times by renowned American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax in the 1930s. To conclude his series, Peter explores what it is that makes this pretty much unknown woman's voice so particularly powerful, and reflects on why the singing human voice has the capacity to transcend time, space and situation and speak to us so deeply.

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14 minutes

Last on

Fri 17 Feb 2023 22:45

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Music Played

  • Vera Hall

    Death, Have Mercy

  • Moby & Vera Hall

    Natural Blues

  • Vera Hall

    Boll Weevil Holler

Broadcasts

  • Fri 14 May 2021 22:45
  • Fri 17 Feb 2023 22:45

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