Week 2:  Folk 

Folk is popular music that celebrates music culturally significant to a specific group of people.  The origin or writers of some folk music is unknown - the music has been passed down generation to generation orally (without being written down).  Some traditional folk pieces are musical stories that teach about cultural histories and identities.  Folk melodies were often sung during repetitive physical work, to help keep the rhythm of a task and to relieve boredom, or, played as dances for entertainment in leisure time. Often the same melodies are used, but the words of the songs (lyrics) are changed to suit the situation.  Traditional American Folk was born from old English, Scottish, French and German melodies the early settlers brought to the new world.  These old melodies were used to communicate the stories of the new Americans.  Modern folk music ("revival" folk) was introduced during the mid-20th Century and incorporates sounds of blues, jazz, rock and country, generally played on acoustic instruments (instruments with no amplification).  Stringed instruments such as the guitar, banjo and fiddle (violin) are often used because they make both melodic and percussive sounds. During the 1960s, "protest" folk communicated sentiment on political issues and called for social change. 

• African American Spirituals (1619-1865): Complex polyrhythmic sounds (two or more independent rhythms played simultaneously) found in traditional West African music were brought to America.  The Africans in America used these rhythms and paired them with "call and response" songs (a leader sings a melody, and the others respond by repeating the melody back, or finishing the musical phrase the leader started) to express their struggles and hope, often using biblical characters and themes of redemption and liberation.  Listen: Wade in the Water

• Sea Shanties of Early Sailors & Frontier Explorers (1700-1900):  Sea shanties are folk tunes that sailors sang in order to keep rhythms during work and entertain each other during downtime.  The tunes of shanties are hundreds of years old.  Early Amercian sailors and explorers used old melodies and set lyrics to them that depicted stories of the American whaling industry and westward exploration on American rivers.  This one isn't so old, but it's a goodie! Listen:  Wellerman

• Stephen Foster (1826-1864): Stephen Foster wrote "parlor" music (pieces intended to be performed at home by amateur musicians) hymns and music for theater shows. He is considered the" Father of American Music" because he was the first to publish his works for commercial sale. Listen: Camptown Races

• Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1882-1973): Nicknamed the "Minstrel of Appalachia" this artist was from western North Carolina.  Folk tunes from this region are often old melodies from England and Scotland that were adapted to American instrumentation and lyrics, often telling the histories and cultural values of the people that lived there. Listen: Dogget Gap

• Woody Guthrie (1912-1967):  Woody Guthrie was a composer, singer and poet.  He wrote hundreds of folk, country and children's tunes from his experiences living in different regions of the country.  His folk music often featured political themes:  Listen: This Land Is Your Land

• Nathan Abshire (1913-1981): Nathan Abshire was a Cajun accordion player from Louisiana.  He was illiterate (could not read or write) but learned the accordion at the age of 6.  Cajun music tells the stories of the people of the southern Bayou (swamp regions).  Listen: Kaplan Waltz

• Pete Seeger (1919-2014):  Pete Seeger was a folk artist and social activist and pioneered "protest" folk music.  He popularized the spiritual We Shall Overcome, which became an anthem during the civil rights movement.  President Obama named him "America's Tuning Fork" for his firm belief that music can bring about social change. Listen: Where Have All the Flowers Gone

• Odetta Holmes (1930-2008): Odetta Holmes is known as the "Voice of the Civil Rights Movement".  She influenced many of the protest folk artists of the 1960s. She was known for her powerful, passion-filled vocals.  Listen: House of the Rising Sun

• Bob Dylan (b.1941): Generally considered the greatest songwriter of all time, Bob Dylan popularized a folk style based on poetic and intellectual lyrics. His songs often reflect political and philosophical themes. He is also an accomplished artist and has published 9 books of painting and drawings.  Listen: The Times They Are A Changin'

• Joan Baez (b.1941) Joan Baez is a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and social activist.  She recorded songs from many folk artists including Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan, as well as her own music.  Listen: Farewell Angelina

• Paul Simon (b.1941): Paul Simon is an eclectic singer-songwriter.  In the 1960s, he was part of the folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel.  His solo career has spanned 6 decades, incorporating influences from folk, rock, reggae, world music, gospel and soul. His lyrics are often poetic and metaphorical.  Listen: Graceland

• John Denver (1943-1997): The 1974 Poet Laureate of Colorado, John Denver was a quintessential acoustic artist of the 1970's. He wrote songs about his love of nature and relationship troubles, popularizing a style that bridged country and folk.  Listen: Rocky Mountain High

• John Prine (1946-2020): Nicknamed the "Mark Twain" of songwriting, John Prine is known for his often honest, and sometimes humorous and satirical lyrics. Listen: I Remember Everything

• Gillian Welch (b.1967): Gillian Welch combines traditional Appalachian folk with bluegrass and country sounds.  She is known for her simple arrangements of songs, often only utilizing guitar and voice.  Listen: Annabelle

• Ani DiFranco (b.1970): Ani DiFranco is a contemporary folk-rock singer-songwriter.  Her music has influences of jazz, funk, punk rock and hip-hop. She is also a social and political activist. Listen: 32 Flavors

• Rhiannon Giddens (b.1977): Rhiannon Giddens is a contemporary, eclectic folk singer, fiddler and banjo player from a mixed background (Northern European, African American and Native American). She is a member of the Grammy winning band, Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is the artistic director of Silkroad, a cross-cultural musical arts organization. Listen: We Could Fly

• Jennah Bell (b. circa 1990): Jennah Bell is a contemporary folk artist.  She is known for her poetic lyrics and master guitar playing. Listen: Chapter 3: The Hatchet