What is Urban Folk Music?

Urban folk music is a genre that encompasses a wide range of styles, including everything from traditional folk to contemporary pop. While the term is relatively new, the music itself has been around for centuries. If you’re curious about what urban folk music is and where it came from, read on for a brief history and overview of the genre.

Origins of Urban Folk Music

Urban folk music is a type of folk music that developed in the urban areas of the United States. It is a blend of various genres of music such as blues, jazz, country, and gospel. Urban folk music became popular in the early 20th century and was associated with the people who were living in the urban areas.

Traditional Folk Music

Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted orally, music with unknown composers, or music performed by custom over a long period of time. It has been contrasted with commercial and classical styles. The term originated in the 19th century, but is often applied to music older than that. Some types of folk music are also called world music. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted orally, music with unknown composers, or music performed by custom over a long period of time. It has been contrasted with commercial and classical styles. The term originated in the 19th century, but is often applied to music older than that. Some types of folk music are also called world music

Work Songs

Work songs were common among African American slaves in the United States. These songs were used to help keep rhythm while performing tasks such as chopping wood or scrubbing floors. Many of the lyrics were written in code, as a way to communicate covertly about escape plans or other rebellious activity. After slavery was abolished, work songs became less common, but they did continue to be used in some jobs, such as logging and farming. Some work songs also found their way into the blues, a type of African American music that developed in the early 20th century.

Blues

The original folk music of the urban South was a blend of the music of the Afro-American and white cultures. The blues, a form of Afro-American folk music, originated in the Mississippi Delta about 1890 and became popular in the northern United States about 1915. It derived its name from the feeling of “blueness” or sadness that is often expressed in its lyrics. The typical blues song is a simple composition consisting of three parts: an opening stanza, a chorus, and a closing stanza. The opening stanza is repeated after each chorus. The 12-bar blues, so called because it consists of 12 measures or bars, is the most common type of blues composition. A typical blues song uses only three chords—the tonic, or main chord, the subdominant, or subordinate chord, and the dominant chord.

Characteristics of Urban Folk Music

Urban folk music is a type of music that is created in an urban environment. This type of music is often created by people who live in cities and have access to a variety of different cultures. Urban folk music often has a wide range of influences, including classical, jazz, rock, and pop.

Lyrics

Urban folk music often tells stories about the struggles of every day life. The lyrics are usually written in the first person and often make use of colloquial language. They typically deal with themes such as love, work, and poverty.

Instruments

Urban folk music is distinct from the folk music of rural areas in several ways. One of the most notable is the type and number of instruments used. While rural folk musicians often use only acoustic instruments, such as guitars, harmonicas, and fiddles, urban folk musicians may also use electric guitars and other amplified instruments. They may also make use of keyboards, drum machines, and other electronic devices to create their sound.

Style

Urban folk music is a style of music that is based on the folk music of the urban population. This type of music is typically characterized by its use of traditional instruments, such as the acoustic guitar, and its focus on the everyday life of the urban community. Urban folk music often revolves around topics such as love, loss, and social justice.

Popularity of Urban Folk Music

Urban folk music is a type of music that is influenced by both traditional folk music and contemporary urban music. This type of music is often created by musicians who are from or have ties to the working class. Urban folk music often has a message that is meant to be heard by a wide audience.

20th Century

The popularity of urban folk music increased in the early 20th century due to the influence of industrialization and mass media. With the rise of radio and television, people were exposed to a variety of new musical styles from different cultures. As a result, they became more interested in music from other parts of the world, including urban folk music.

In addition, the rise of the recording industry allowed people to purchase records and listen to them in their homes. This made it easier for people to access and enjoy urban folk music.

The popularity of urban folk music continued to grow in the second half of the 20th century, as more people moved into cities and became exposed to different types of music. In particular, the folk revival of the 1960s led to a renewed interest in traditional folk music from around the world. This led to an increased popularity of urban folk music in both America and Europe.

Contemporary

Contemporary folk music is a genre of music that combines traditional folk music with modern influences. It is often seen as a reaction against the often-commercialized and formulaic nature of pop music. Contemporary folk musicians often use elements of other genres, such as rock, jazz, and world music.

Notable Urban Folk Musicians

Woody Guthrie

Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music; his music, including songs, such as “This Land Is Your Land”, has inspired several generations both politically and musically. He wrote hundreds of political, folk, and children’s songs, along with New Mexico Dust Bowl Ballads and Okie from Muskogee trail songs. Many of his recorded songs are archived in the Library of Congress. Throughout his life, Guthrie was associated with United States Communist groups, though he was seemingly more interested in promoting conventional social democracy.

Lead Belly

Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter was one of the most important and influential American folk musicians. He is best known for his work as a singer and twelve-string acoustic guitar player, but he was also proficient on the piano, mandolin, harmonica, and accordion. His songs were mostly traditional folk songs and blues, but he also wrote original songs, many of which were about his life experiences.

Lead Belly was born in 1888 in Mooringsport, Louisiana. He began playing music as a child and soon developed a reputation as a talented performer. He spent time in jail for various offenses throughout his life, including assault and murder. While in jail, he continued to play music and perform for other inmates and guards. In 1934, he was discovered by musicologists John Lomax and Alan Lomax, who were collecting folk songs for the Library of Congress. They recorded several of his songs and helped to popularize his music.

Lead Belly became widely known in the folk music community and beyond following his release from jail in 1934. He performed at various clubs and venues in New York City and elsewhere. He also recorded numerous albums of songs, many of which were re-recorded by other artists over the years. Lead Belly died of Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1949.

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger is an American folk singer, union organizer, and anti-war activist. His parents were both classical musicians, and his father taught him to play the violin when he was four years old. He soon began to learn other instruments, including the banjo and guitar. In 1940, he enrolled at Harvard University, but he dropped out after a year to pursue his music career.

In 1941, he joined the Almanac Singers, a left-wing folk music group that included Woody Guthrie and Millard Lampell. The group recorded several albums of protest songs during World War II. After the war, Seeger played a leading role in the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. He recorded several albums, including The Weavers at Carnegie Hall (1955) and Pete Seeger’s Greatest Hits (1967). He also wrote or co-wrote many songs that became folk standards, including “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!”

Conclusion

Urban Folk Music is a type of music that is influenced by the music of the city, but still has its own unique sound. This type of music often has a strong beat, and may be influenced by jazz or blues.