My Music: Original Masters of Folk Rewind

My Music: Original Masters of Folk Rewind is a musical blog dedicated to highlighting the forgotten greats of the folk genre.

Music Basics

Music is sound that has been organized into a melody and is often accompanied by lyrics. Music is a universal language that can be used to express emotions. It can be used to tell a story, or to just provide a beat to dance to. There are many different genres of music, each with their own style and history.

Define Folk Music

Folk music is a genre of music that typically uses acoustic instruments and focuses on traditional songs with simple, heartfelt lyrics. Folk music has its roots in the oral tradition, and it often tells stories or celebrates the history and culture of a community. Folk music can be found all over the world, and it has been influenced by many other genres, such as pop, rock, and blues.

Identify the Origins of Folk Music

The music we now call “folk” has been around for a long time: many centuries, in fact. But it was only in the 20th century that “folk music” came to be understood as its own genre, with its own traditions, performers, and fans.

The roots of folk music are very diverse. Some folk songs can be traced back to ancient ballads that were sung by medieval troubadours. Others have their origins in the work songs of African American slaves or in the traditional music of Native American tribes.

One of the most important things to understand about folk music is that it is passed down from generation to generation by oral tradition. In other words, folk songs are not written down in sheet music form; they are learned by ear and passed on to others through singing and playing. This means that folk songs can change over time, as they are adapted and rearranged by each new generation of performers.

One of the most famous examples of this process is the traditional folk song “House of the Rising Sun.” This song has been recorded by hundreds of different artists over the years, each one putting their own spin on it. As a result, the melody and lyrics of “House of the Rising Sun” have changed quite a bit over time; but despite these changes, the song has remained popular for centuries.

If you’re interested in learning more about folk music, there are plenty of resources available online and in libraries. You can also check out some of the classic folk recordings that have been preserved from earlier centuries, or listen to modern performers who are keeping the tradition alive today.

Understand the Influence of Folk Music

Folk music has been around for centuries, and its influence can be heard in many different genres of music today. Folk music is a type of traditional, usually acoustic music that is passed down from generation to generation. It often tells stories or infection traditions, and is often used as a form of social commentary. Folk music can be found all over the world, and has been particularly influential in the development of American music.

Some of the most popular folk musicians include Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan. These musicians were all influenced by folk music, and went on to create their own unique sound. Folk music has also been influential in the development of rock and roll, country, and blues music. Many popular musicians today still incorporate elements of folk music into their work.

Key Folk Music Artists

In the 1960s, the folk music scene in America was booming. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger were just a few of the big names in the industry. These artists brought folk music to the mainstream and influenced a generation.

Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children’s songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan “This machine kills fascists” printed on his guitar. His best-known song is “This Land Is Your Land”. Many of his recorded songs are archived in the Library of Congress. Throughout his life he was associated with many left-wing activism groups such as the Industrial Workers of the World and the American Communist party. He died from complications of Huntingdon’s disease in 1967.

Lead Belly

Huddie William Ledbetter (/ˈhjuːdi/; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known as Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues musician notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songs he wrote. He is best known for his recordings between the 1940s and 1960s including “Midnight Special”, “Cotton Fields”, “Take This Hammer”, and “Rock Island Line”. In 1952, while serving a 30-year sentence, Lead Belly’s performance of “Goodnight, Irene” in San Quentin prison so impressed warden Josh Gibson that he recommended clemency for the inmate. Gibson secured a record deal with Folkways Records (then called Asch Recordings) who released Lead Belly’s recordings. These were enormously influential on both the bluegrass music of this era (e.g., The Stanley Brothers) as well as on budding rock musicians such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Odetta and Cisco Houston whoAll would go on to perform some of his songs.

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger was an American folk singer, songwriter, and social activist. A figurehead in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival, Seeger was one of the first musicians to popularize the work of Woody Guthrie and lead the way for the likes of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. His best-known songs include “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season).” Seeger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

The Revival of Folk Music

There’s a growing trend of people turning to folk music for its simple, yet moving melodies and lyrics. This type of music has the ability to tell a story and transport the listener to a different time and place. More and more people are rediscovering the beauty of folk music, and its popularity is on the rise.

The Weavers

The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the New York City area, one of the most commercially successful and influential groups of the 1950s. TODO: WRITE MORE

Joan Baez

Joan Baez is one of the most influential and iconic folk musicians of her generation. She rose to prominence in the early 1960s with her powerful voice and distinctive style of guitar playing. Baez was a committed activist, using her music to support the civil rights and anti-war movements. She also helped to launch the careers of several prominent singer-songwriters, including Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne. In more recent years, Baez has continued to tour and record music, and she remains an important voice in the folk community.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is one of the most influential folk musicians of all time. His impact on music and culture is immeasurable, and his influence can still be felt today. Dylan’s career spans nearly 60 years, and his songs have been covered by countless artists. He is a true icon of folk music.

The Legacy of Folk Music

Folk music has been around for centuries, and it has been influencing other genres of music since its inception. Folk music is known for its simple melodies and lyrics, and its ability to tell stories. Folk music has been passed down from generation to generation, and it is still being played and performed today.

Simon & Garfunkel

The Simon & Garfunkel story starts, as so many great tales do, with a chance meeting. In 1953, 7-year-old Artie Garfunkel was waiting for his father outside New York City’s Flushing Meadows Park when he spotted another boy about his own age, playing the bongos. Artie was so taken with the bongos that he asked the boy’s name, and when he found out it was Paul Simon, he asked Paul if he wanted to be friends. The two boys hit it off immediately, and by the time they were teenagers they were making music together.

In 1957, they entered a local talent contest with a song Paul had written called “Hey Schoolgirl.” Although they didn’t win the contest, “Hey Schoolgirl”—recorded under the name “Tom & Jerry”—ended up being a minor hit, reaching #49 on the Billboard charts. Inspired by their success, Simon & Garfunkel began working on more songs together, and in 1964 they signed a record deal with Columbia Records.

Their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., was released later that year and featured the single “The Sound of Silence.” The album wasn’t a commercial success at first, but after a new version of “The Sound of Silence” was released—featuring electric guitars and drums added by producer Tom Wilson without Simon & Garfunkel’s knowledge or permission—the song became a massive hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard charts in February 1966.

From there, Simon & Garfunkel went on to release a string of classic albums and singles over the next few years, including Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme (1966), Sounds of Silence (1966), Bookends (1968), Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970), “The Boxer” (1969), and “Mrs. Robinson” (1968). They were one of the most successful folk-rock groups of their era, winning multiple Grammys and selling millions of records worldwide.

In 1970, at the height of their popularity, Simon & Garfunkel decided to go their separate ways. Paul Simon went on to have a hugely successful solo career; Artie Garfunkel pursued acting; and both men have continued to tour and perform over the years. But their legacy as one of folk music’s greatest duos endures.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were a folk rock supergroup made up of four highly successful solo artists. David Crosby was a founding member of the Byrds, Stephen Stills was a member of Buffalo Springfield, Graham Nash was a member of the Hollies, and Neil Young was also a member of Buffalo Springfield. The four came together in 1968 and released their first album, “My Music: Original Masters of Folk Rewind,” in 1969.

The group was only together for a few years, but they released three studio albums and one live album. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

The Byrds

The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) being the only consistent member. Although they only managed to attain the huge commercial success of contemporaries like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones for a short period in the mid-1960s, the Byrds are cited as one of the most influential bands of their era. Their signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn’s jangly twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar was extremely influential on subsequent popular music.

The original five-piece lineup of the Byrds consisted of Jim McGuinn (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, 12-string guitar), Gene Clark (tambourine, vocals), Michael Clarke (drums), David Crosby (vocals, rhythm guitar), and Chris Hillman (bass guitar, mandolin). Over the next two years, they released five charting singles and a successful debut album, Mr. Tambourine Man (1965), which reached number six on Billboard’s pop album chart.