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The American Civil War divided the nation and produced profound and lasting changes in the lives of its people. The issues and emotions of the times are reflected in this collection of songs from the era. The longing of slaves for freedom, the defiance of the South for a dying way of life, and the cry for the Union preserved of the North were expressed in music. Folk singers including Judy Collins, Waylon Jennings, Ritchie Havens, and Kathy Mattea interpret music of the period, from the Spoon River Anthology to Underground Railroad coded message songs.