Grant Maloy Smith is known for creating theme albums in the AMERICAN STORIES series, including the Billboard Top 10 and award-winning titles MISSISSIPPI, APPALACHIA, and DUST BOWL. He writes more songs than he can use for these albums, so many songs are never heard except in his concerts. After receiving numerous requests for recordings of these gems, he decided to record and release them. However, there were too many songs for one album, so they will be released on three separate albums, organized by song type. The first is PENNY BALLADS. This collection of tender ballads reveals a softer side of his writing. It features Grant's top-notch singing and playing guitar, keyboards, mandolin, and dulcimer. But it also includes guest performances from world-class players like Grammy® and IBGA-winning Rob Ickes on dobro, Steve Stokes on fiddle, ACM-winning steel guitar player Mike Johnson, Tim Lorsch, and more. 

​

WHAT'S A PENNY BALLAD?

A penny ballad was a popular, inexpensive printed song sold widely from the 16th through the 19th centuries, especially in England and later in colonial America. Typically printed on a single sheet of paper (a "broadside"), these ballads were sold for a penny or less, making them accessible to a working-class audience. Ballad hawkers—street vendors who sang the verses to attract buyers—distributed news and entertainment. They featured various themes: love and romance, murder and crime, historical events, religious warnings, and sensational or supernatural stories. ​

​

PLAY SAMPLES OF EACH SONG