Background
Wood was born Harriet Elizabeth Wood in Washington, District of Columbia, in 1922. She was the daughter of a United States. Army doctor.
Wood was born Harriet Elizabeth Wood in Washington, District of Columbia, in 1922. She was the daughter of a United States. Army doctor.
Wood was a classically trained musician/singer who became vitally interested in folkmusic. As musicologist transcribed a number of Lomax field recordings (getting words & notes down on paper), transcribed/researched a book of Leadbelly songs (see TRO publishers), Woody Guthrie songs, The New Lost City Ramblers Songbook (later renamed Old-Time Stringband Songbook. See Oak), worked on a book in Houston, Texas (with the publisher, Joseph Lomax-nephew of Alan) on collection of songs written by Townes Van Zandt (entitled "for the sake of the song", Wings Press, Houston, Texas.
Copyright 1977 Wood is credited in the preface with "musical proof-reading and lyrics corrections" ).
On 23 May 1960, Alan Lomax visited Wood at her home in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and recorded 29 songs in a single day. As a singer she had two solo albums in the early 1950s (Stinson "Hally Wood Sings Texas Folksongs".
Elektra "Oh Lovely Appearance of Death"), appeared on several concert/compilation albums, sang in concerts with Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, Jean Ritchie, & others in the New York City area, including a concert at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, December 21, 1957 with Sonny Terry and Dave Sears. In "79-80 brought out a self-produced album "Songs to Live By" in Houston, and was beginning work on another in the mid-80s but was diagnosed with cancer.
From late "50s thru early "70s lived in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico.
Did some work there helping produce concerts & other things this informant not familiar with.