Folk Music in Boston MA

The Boston Folk Music Society is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting folk music in the Boston area. We hold concerts, dances, and other events featuring local, national, and international folk musicians.

Introduction

Boston is renowned for its great food, history, and culture—and its music scene is no different. The city has long been a hotbed for folk music, with iconic venues like Club Passim and the Tufts University Folk Center fostering a vibrant community of folk musicians.

If you’re interested in experiencing the best of Boston’s folk music scene, here are some of the city’s top venues:

Club Passim

Located in the heart of Harvard Square, Club Passim has been a fixture of the Boston folk scene since 1957. The club hosts regular performances by both local and touring folk musicians, and also features an impressive array of programming that includes everything from songwriting workshops to dance parties.

Tufts University Folk Center

The Tufts University Folk Center is a student-run venue that hosts regular concerts by both local and touring folk musicians. The center also features an extensive folk music library and hosts a variety of workshops and events throughout the year.

Cafe 939

Cafe 939 is a performance space located on the campus of Berklee College of Music. The cafe regularly hosts concerts by both local and touring folk musicians, as well as a variety of other musical acts.

The Birth of Folk Music in Boston

In the early 1960s, the Boston folk scene was born. The first coffeehouses appeared in Cambridge, and soon folk music could be heard wafting through the streets and in the clubs of Boston. The sound was new and exciting, and it quickly caught on with the young people of the city.

Folk music had been around for centuries, of course, but it was only in the 1940s and 50s that it began to gain popularity in America. The arrival of Bob Dylan and the rise of the Newport Folk Festival helped to bring folk music into the mainstream, and by the early 60s, Boston was ready to embrace this new sound.

The coffeehouses of Cambridge were the perfect place for folk music to take root. These intimate venues allowed musicians to connect with their audiences in a way that was rare in mainstream music at that time. The coffeehouses also gave birth to another important aspect of folk music: political activism.

Many of the musicians who played in the coffeehouses were committed to social change, and they used their songs to spread their message. The protests against the Vietnam War were particularly well-supported by folk musicians, who used their art to inspire people to take action.

The Boston folk scene continued to grow throughout the 60s and 70s, attracting some of the biggest names in folk music. Joan Baez, John Prine, and James Taylor all got their start in Boston clubs, and they helped put the city on the map as a major destination for folk music fans.

Today, folk music is as popular as ever in Boston. The city is home to dozens offolk clubs and festivals, and its influence can be heard in the work of many contemporary singer-songwriters. If you’re looking for a taste of traditional Americana, there’s no better place than Boston’s Folk Scene!

The Rise of Folk Music in Boston

The rise of folk music in Boston can be traced back to the late 1950s and early 1960s. At that time, there was a great revived interest in traditional forms of music, particularly in the United States. This was partly due to the influence of Robert Shelton, who was a music critic for The New York Times. He wrote a very positive review of a live performance by Woody Guthrie, which inspired a lot of people to check out his music.

This led to a rise in popularity for folk musicians like Pete Seeger and Odetta, as well as for folk-influenced bands like The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. Boston became a hotbed for this type of music, with clubs like Club 47 and Passim becoming popular places to see live performances.

The 1960s also saw the emergence of some excellent folk-rock bands from Boston, including Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash. However, it was really in the 1970s that Boston became known as one of the best places in the world for live folk music. This was due in large part to the work of John Herald, who opened up The Unicorn club in 1968. Herald originally came from New York City, but he moved to Boston because he felt that there was more of an audience for this type of music here.

The Unicorn quickly became one of the most important venues for folk music in Boston, and it helped to launch the careers of many successful musicians. Some of the most famous artists who got their start at The Unicorn include Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Bonnie Raitt. Herald himself was an excellent musician, and he released several albums over the years.

The Unicorn closed its doors in 1977, but by that time folk music had become firmly established in Boston. There are now many excellent venues for live folk music in the city, and it remains one of the best places in the world to see this type of music performed live.

The Decline of Folk Music in Boston

In the 1960s, there was a thriving folk music scene in Boston. Clubs like The Unicorn showcased local and national talent, and the city played host to annual music festivals like the Newport Folk Festival. However, by the 1970s, the scene had begun to decline. Folk music was no longer as popular as it once was, and many of the clubs and festivals closed down.

Despite the decline of the folk music scene in Boston, there are still a few places where you can enjoy this type of music. The Boston Folk Festival is held every year, and there are several folk clubs and radio stations in the city. If you’re a fan of folk music, you can still find plenty of it in Boston.

The Resurgence of Folk Music in Boston

In the past few years, there has been a resurgence of interest in folk music in Boston. This is due in part to the success of acts like The Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons, who have brought the genre to a wider audience.

There are now many venues that offer folk music on a regular basis, and there is a growing community of musicians and fans who are passionate about the genre. If you’re interested in checking out some of the best folk music Boston has to offer, here are some great places to start.

The Future of Folk Music in Boston

The future of Folk Music in Boston is anything but certain. With the recent closing of the iconic Club Passim, and the rise of more “mainstream” forms of music, it’s hard to say where Folk Music will go from here.

That being said, there are still a number of places in Boston that host Folk Music events on a regular basis. The Burren, The Lizard Lounge, and Passim himself all offer regular events. And there are a number of open mics and weekly jam sessions that take place throughout the city.

So while the future is uncertain, there is still a thriving community of Folk Musicians in Boston. And as long as there are people passionate about the music, it will continue to find a home in this city.