The Black Country Three

The Black Country Three was a folk trio formed in the mid-'60s by sibling folk singer/scholars Michael Raven and Jon Raven, and Derek Craft. Their name refers to an area of the English midlands bounded by Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Staffordshire. They recorded their self-titled debut album in 1966 for Transatlantic, which mixed a few contemporary songs (including a rendition of a Bob Dylan composition) with traditional material. Despite their success as a trio, the group didn't last more than a couple of years. The Raven brothers have been active as recording artists and performers for four decades, and as authors -- each has written extensively on the history, folklore, and music of the Midlands.