What Was the Anthology of American Folk Music?
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records, comprising eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued between 1927 and 1932.
The Anthology was compiled by Harry Smith and originally released as a set of three double LP records. It is one of the most influential releases in the history of folk music, having been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
The Anthology of American Folk Music
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records. The anthology was compiled by Harry Smith and consists of eighty-four American folk, blues, and country music recordings that were originally issued on 78-rpm discs in the 1927–1932 period.
What is the Anthology of American Folk Music?
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 album is one of the most influential releases in the history of popular music and is credited with sparking the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s.
The anthology was compiled from eighty-three recordings made by seven different record companies in the United States between 1927 and 1932. The majority of these recordings were made available on commercially released 78 rpm records; a handful were recorded specifically for Smith or were privately issued recordings never before available to the general public. Most of the artists represented on the anthology were obscure figures who had never been heard outside their local communities; some, such as Blind Lemon Jefferson and Bessie Smith, were well-known performers who had been recorded numerous times before.
The anthology is organized into three two-LP volumes: “Ballads”, “Social Music”, and “Songs”. Each volume is divided into two discs, containing twenty-four tracks per disc.
Who compiled the Anthology of American Folk Music?
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation release of American folk music compiled by Harry Smith and originally issued in 1952. The set is famous for its role as a touchstone for the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. It was released on August 10, 1952, by Folkways Records, and has been recognized as one of the most influential releases in the history of recorded sound.
What genres are represented in the Anthology of American Folk Music?
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. It is one of the most influential releases in the history of folk music, having launched the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. TheAnthology was complied from Harry Smith’s personal collection of 78 rpm records. It includes material from various genres including country, blues, gospel and old-time music. In many cases, the recordings were made by unknown artists who were not part of the mainstream music industry.
The influence of the Anthology of American Folk Music
The Anthology of American Folk Music was a six-album set released in 1952 by Folkways Records. The album was compiled by Harry Smith and included eighty-four songs recorded between 1927 and 1932. The Anthology has been highly influential in the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s and in the development of the Americana music genre.
How did the Anthology of American Folk Music influence popular music?
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records, catalog number FP 251. It was compiled by musician and folk music archivist Harry Smith from his personal collection of 78 rpm records. The album is famous for its influence on the American folk music revival in the 1950s and 1960s; Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, The Byrds, Grateful Dead, and many other artists drew inspiration from the Anthology.
In 1998, the Library of Congress honored the Anthology with a place in the National Recording Registry.
How did the Anthology of American Folk Music influence the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s?
In 1952, Folkways Records released the Anthology of American Folk Music, edited by Harry Smith. The set was a compilation of eighty-four songs recorded between 1927 and 1932 by such artists as the Carter Family, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charlie Patton, and Dock Boggs. The songs were drawn from commercial recordings that were originally issued on 78-rpm records. Many of the recordings were obscure, and several had never been released before. The Anthology became one of the most influential releases in the history of folk music.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, a number of folk musicians, including Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Josh White, Burl Ives, Odetta, and Cisco Houston, were beginning to achieve national prominence. At the same time, there was a growing interest in folk music among college students and others in the urban Northeast. The Anthology helped to spark the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s by providing a glimpse into the rich traditions from which contemporary folk musicians were drawing inspiration.
What artists have been influenced by the Anthology of American Folk Music?
The Anthology of American Folk Music, a six-album compilation released in 1952 by folklorist Harry Smith, is one of the most influential releases in the history of American music. The 84 songs on the set—drawn from commercial 78 rpm records Smith bought in used record stores—were culled from both well-known and obscure artists, and span a wide range of styles including blues, country, Cajun, gospel, and folk. Though it was not a commercial success at the time of its release, the Anthology has had a profound impact on subsequent generations of musicians, helping to spark the folk revival of the 1950s and ’60s and influencing many of the central figures of the American roots music scene. Here are just a few of the artists who have been influenced by Harry Smith’s groundbreaking compilation.
