A Brief History of Folk Music

A folk music blog discussing the history and origins of folk music around the world.

Origins of Folk Music

Folk music is a genre of music that is typically passed down orally from generation to generation. It is music that is created by the people, for the people, and about the people. Folk music is typically rooted in the traditions of a culture, and it often tells the stories of the everyday lives of the people.

America

The folk music of England is often stained with blood. It was the sound of the common people, the poor and oppressed. In America, on the other hand, it was the music of a nation being built. English folk songs were brought over by immigrants and adapted to local conditions and circumstances. Traditional songs were created to celebrate special occasions, like births, weddings, and harvest time. Many of these songs were sung as work songs orwhile performing some other task. Over time, these songs became part of the American musical landscape.

Britain

Folk music of England is traditionally based music, which has existed since the later medieval period. It is often contrasted with courtly, classical and later commercial music. Folk music has been preserved and transmitted orally, through print and later through recordings. The term is used to refer to English traditional music and music composed, or delivered, in a traditional style. A consistent definition of traditional folk music is difficult to establish.

The concept of English folk music has undergone a number of shifting definitions. Essentially, it refers to the music of the people that they have passed down orally over the generations. It is sometimes contrasted with courtly, classical and later commercial music. Folk music exists in every country in some form or another and can be classified by a number of factors including: geographic location, nationality, ethnicity, language and genre.

Some types of English folk music are: ballads, Morris dance tunes, carols, sea shanties and ceilidh tunes.

The Revival of Folk Music

Folk music has seen a revival in recent years, with a new generation of musicians taking up the style. This revival has been driven in part by a desire to return to more traditional forms of music, and in part by the popularity of folk-influenced artists such as Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers. Whatever the reason, folk music is back in a big way.

America

folk music enjoyed something of a revival in America in the 1940s and 1950s, thanks in part to the work of folklorists like Alan Lomax, who scoured the country for traditional songs, and to the rise of popular performers like Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, and Burl Ives. These artists helped to spark a new interest in folk music, both among performers and listeners. Folk music enjoyed something of a revival in America in the 1940s and 1950s.

Britain

The first half of the 20th century saw a great decline in interest in folk music. This was due to a number of factors, including the First and Second World Wars, which led to a decrease in traditional music-making opportunities, as well as the rise of popular music genres such as jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. It was not until the late 1950s that the British folk scene began to revive, thanks in part to a surge of interest in American folk music. This was driven by the likes of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, who were deeply influenced by traditional folk music.

Contemporary Folk Music

Folk music has been around for centuries, with its origins dating back to the medieval era. The term “folk music” was first used in the 18th century, and it referred to music that was made by the common people. Folk music has since evolved and now includes a wide range of genres, from traditional folk to contemporary folk.

America

The first American folk music was brought to the country by English and Scottish settlers in the 1600s. This music was based on the traditions of their homelands, and it slowly began to change as it was influenced by the music of the Native Americans and Africans. As time went on, more and more immigrants came to America, each with their own musical traditions. Eventually, these various traditions combined to create a uniquely American form of folk music.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, American folk music was primarily used for entertainment purposes. It was often performed at dances, parties, and other social gatherings. Many folk songs were passed down from generation to generation, and they became a part of the country’s oral tradition.

In the early 20th century, a new wave of folk music began to emerge. This music was informed by social and political issues, and it reflected the experiences of ordinary people. Songs about work, love, loss, and other topics became popular, and they helped to define what it meant to be an American.

Today, folk music is still popular in America. There are many different styles of folk music, and it continues to evolve as new artists add their own voices to the genre. Folk music is an important part of American history, and it plays an important role in the country’s cultural identity.

Britain

The British folk music scene began to develop in the late 1950s and early 1960s, inspired by a wave of American performers such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and The Weavers. At the same time, a number of British bands and artists were starting to experiment with folk-influenced pop music. The Beatles’ early hits “I Saw Her Standing There” and “She Loves You” both included banjo chords, while Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963) featured harmonica and lyrics that were clearly influenced by the traditional ballad “House of the Rising Sun”.

In 1965, American rock band The Byrds released their single “Mr. Tambourine Man”, which featured jangly 12-string guitar work inspired by folk-rock pioneer Roger McGuinn. The song became a huge hit, reaching number one on the Billboard charts. The Byrds’ success paved the way for other folk-rock bands such as Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas & the Papas, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

The British folk music revival reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the emergence of acts like Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, and Ashley Hutchings’ Fairport offshoot Lindisfarne. These bands combined traditional folk songs with elements of rock music, creating a new and distinctive sound.

The British folk scene continued to develop in the 1980s and 1990s with talented performers like June Tabor, Martin Carthy, Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan, and Kate Rusby keeping the tradition alive. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in traditional British folk music thanks to younger performers like Eliza Carthy, Jackie Oates, Mischief Brew, Bellowhead, and Lau.