The American Folk Music Anthology

A look at The American Folk Music Anthology and its impact on American folk music.

Introduction

The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records (catalogue FP 251, FP 252, and FP 253), edited by Harry Smith. The collection is commonly known as Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. It is one of the most influential releases in the history of recorded sound, and helped stimulate both the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s and the beginning of the contemporary singer-songwriter movement.

The Anthology was assembled by Smith from his personal collection of 78 rpm records. He compiled it over several years from1946 to 1951, using an advance from Folkways owner Moses Asch that enabled him to rent an apartment where he could listen to his records undisturbed. The anthology’sliner notes describe it as focusing on “communal music from a variety of ethnic groups and religious traditions – INCLUDING WORKSONGS, BALLADS, HYMNS, AND RITUAL SONGS – [that] WERE BROUGHT TO THIS COUNTRY BY IMMIGRANTS OR COMPOSED BY THEIR DESCENDANTS”.

The Anthology contains 84 songs on six discs, comprising eighty-four different recordings that were originally issued on 78rpm disc. Because of space constraints (each disc in the original LP set could hold a maximum of about twenty minutes of music), Smith was forced to make choices about which recordings to include; as a result, some important artists (such as Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly) are represented by only one or two tracks, while others (such as Uncle Dave Macon and Homer Callahan) are completely absent.

What is folk music?

Folk music is a type of music that is passed down from generation to generation. It is usually passed down orally, but it can also be passed down through sheet music or recordings. Folk music is usually related to the culture of the people who pass it down. For example, American folk music is related to the culture of America, and British folk music is related to the culture of Britain. Folk music can also be related to the region where the people who pass it down live. For example, Appalachian folk music is related to the Appalachian Mountains, and Cajun folk music is related to Louisiana.

Origins of folk music in America

Folk music in America has its roots in the music of England, Ireland, Scotland and other European countries. American folk music is also influenced by the music of Africa and Native Americans. The first American folk music was brought to the United States by English, Irish and Scottish immigrants during the 1600s. Folk music was also created by African slaves who were brought to America during the 1700s and 1800s. Native American folk music is the oldest type of American folk music.

The folk music revival of the 1940s and 1950s

In the United States, the folk music revival of the 1940s and 1950s brought the music of ethnic groups and traditional folk music to a wider audience. In 1940, the Library of Congress begun recording folk music led by head ethnographer Alan Lomax. These recordings, along with others collected by Lomax and his father John A. Lomax, were originally issued on disc and then on LP by Folkways Records. The Anthology was initially issued as a three-LP set by Folkways in 1952, with one side devoted to each of three regions of the country: the South, the Northeast, and the Far West. A fourth volume, devoted to religious music from all over the country, was released in 1953.

The folk music scene today

The American folk music scene is as vibrant as ever, with new folk artists emerging all the time. At the same time, many of the classic folk artists from the past are still performing and recording. The American Folk Music Anthology is a great way to explore both the past and present of this rich musical tradition.

Conclusion

The American Folk Music Anthology is an excellent introduction to the richness and diversity of American folk music. With over four hours of music, it provides a wide range of examples, from traditional songs and ballads to more modern styles. The booklet that accompanies the set is also very informative, with essays on the history of folk music and biographies of the artists.