# American Folk Music



## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

Old time, blues, country, gospel, bluegrass, and all that kind of distinctly rustic American music.

This is an area I haven't look too far into. The only CDs I own of it are a couple Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee albums. I'm familiar with most of the key blues guys like Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Skip James, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt and all the blind- guys etc. I do like these but haven't picked up any albums of theirs yet. Leadbelly and Mississippi Fred McDowell are on my wanted list as well.

I'm less familiar with the Appalachian and southern country music of that time. Apart from some banjo pickers like Dock Boggs and Uncle Dave Macon, and big names like Jimmie Rodgers or the Carter Family, I don't know much. I can't get into this as much as blues, even though I quite like the yodelling stuff.

Those field recording made by Lomax and others are real gems though. I like the idea of someone going round the wilderness of the US with a great big phonograph recording local musicians.

The folk revival stuff I don't like as much because it seems full of too much nostalgia for the past and comes across a bit trite. Although, some Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan tunes are excepted from this damning criticism.

However, I love the American Primitivism movement with John Fahey, Robbie Basho and Sandy Bull being amongst my favourite guitarists.

Who are your favourite early American folk musicians?


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Right off the top of my head I love Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe and Woody Guthrie...I play in a duo called The Oklahoma Boys and we play all kinds of old timey standards, originals and even leading up to the more modern day Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.

Another group whose songs we perform quite a bit is Old & In The Way...it was a very shortlived group that formed in 1973 and was comprised of John Kahn, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan and Vassar Clements...Vassar is a true bluegrass fiddle legend and I was fortunate enough to have a jam with him about two years before his passing...his technique and style can measure up to just about any of the very best classical violinists and I highly recommend exploring this group and any of his works. You can hear a bit of the jam he and I had here at www.myspace.com/kv466 it's the song titled Catfish John...weak recording but i'm glad i got it!

For some reason (!!) there is some loud song that keeps playing over the whole page and I can't find how to take it off...if you can't either, open the player in another window and close the main one and you'll be able to hear fine


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Argus said:


> The folk revival stuff I don't like as much because it seems full of too much nostalgia for the past and comes across a bit trite. Although, some Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan tunes are excepted from this damning criticism.


anyway in the sixties there was the discover of the amazing Robert Pete Williams, probably my favorite blues musician and still one of the most underrated. Incredibly original guitarist (he inspired musicians like Captain Beefheart, and Fahey considered him the weirdest person he had ever known), incredible improviser and a great singer too.
To me he's the blues counterpart of musicians like Ornette Coleman, Sun ra or Albert Ayler










I do like also the incredible voices of Dock Boggs that you have mentioned (though is earlier recordings are probably much better than his stuff of the sixties) and Cecil Barfield


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Old Folk: Baez and Hester.

Bluegrass is a relatively modern adaptation of Appalachian music, with a lot of new songs sort of emulating the old modes. Finger-picked banjo is not 'old style'; frailing was the old style. The Dobro isn't an old style instrument either.

Don't get me wrong; bluegrass - before 'newgrass' - has been a lifelong love.


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

Robert Johnson still sounds surprisingly modern, both in his vocal and guitar approach. 




"Rock came from blues" is just something you hear and treat as academic trivia until you really hear it and understand it.

I also like Charley Patton, although I wish I could understand what the hell he was saying.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

norman bates said:


> anyway in the sixties there was the discover of the amazing Robert Pete Williams, probably my favorite blues musician and still one of the most underrated. Incredibly original guitarist (he inspired musicians like Captain Beefheart, and Fahey considered him the weirdest person he had ever known), incredible improviser and a great singer too.
> To me he's the blues counterpart of musicians like Ornette Coleman, Sun ra or Albert Ayler


First hearing for me of Robert Pete Williams. I like it. He sounds a like a lot of the Delta blues guys but not any specific one of them, plus some great singing and playing. Kind of an amalgamation of blues history but not cliched at all.

I agree about Dock Boggs voice being better when he was younger, but as a counterpoint to that, the recording quality of his 60's albums are much better.



mcamacho said:


> Another group whose songs we perform quite a bit is Old & In The Way...it was a very shortlived group that formed in 1973 and was comprised of John Kahn, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan and Vassar Clements...Vassar is a true bluegrass fiddle legend and I was fortunate enough to have a jam with him about two years before his passing...his technique and style can measure up to just about any of the very best classical violinists and I highly recommend exploring this group and any of his works. You can hear a bit of the jam he and I had here at www.myspace.com/kv466 it's the song titled Catfish John...weak recording but i'm glad i got it!


That's some nice fiddlin'.



Hilltroll72 said:


> Old Folk: Baez and Hester.
> 
> Bluegrass is a relatively modern adaptation of Appalachian music, with a lot of new songs sort of emulating the old modes. Finger-picked banjo is not 'old style'; frailing was the old style. The Dobro isn't an old style instrument either.


This post confuses me. Baez and Hester are old yet the Dobro guitar and Bluegrass aren't? Resonators were part of guys like Son House's and Bukka White's trademark sound. Are these not old either.

Good stuff so far. We've had banjo, guitar and fiddle, but what about some old style country harmonica, mandolin or mountain dulcimer.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

The Carter Family, one of the first country music recording groups consisted Alvin Pleasant (A.P.) Carter (Vocal), his wife Sara Carter (Vocal, Autoharp and Guitar) and his sister-in-law Maybelle Carter (Vocal and Guitar) who, her daughter June married to Johnny Cash.
In the first half of the 20th Century They were the most popular and maybe the most influential country group and they recorded hundreds of secular and sacred songs.

These are some of their lovliest singles :

Keep on the Sunny Side
Single Girl, Married Girl
Wildwood Flower 
Worried Man Blues
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?
Are You Lonesome Tonight ? 
Little Darling Pal Of Mine
Wandering Boy
Cannon Ball Blues 
River of Jordan
Glory to the Lamb
I'm working on a building 
Room in heaven for me

2 box sets of their most favorite recordings have been remastered and realeased in 2003 and 2007.

1927-1934 Recordings :










1934-1941 Recordings :


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

*Patsy Cline*, one of the most favorite country singers in late 50s and early 60s.

Some of her hit recordings :

Blue moon of Kentucky 
Walkin' After Midnight 
Leavin' on Your Mind
You're Stronger Than Me
She's got you 
Strange
Back in baby's arms

A box set, a collwction of her recordings is recommended (4CD set) :










Another album consists 12 of her greatest hits is also a good one:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is a fascinating American folk song with a link to an original sung version.

http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/riddlekitty1259.html

Tons more listed here with sung links:

http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/songs.html


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Maybe a sidestep but some of the links in the post go way back and remind me of Dutch folk tradition somewhat. 

Maybe a nice story is that it was neglected for a long time until Ate Doornbosch approached a Dutch broadcasting radio station in 1957. He wanted to make 10 episodes with Dutch folk music sung by (mosty) old people and taped by him. The management thought ten would be a bit too much, five would suffice. It was such a success that this radio show (Onder de groene linde/Under the green lime tree) had 1370 episodes and ran from 1957 till 1994. It contributed enormously in preserving Dutch folk songs in all there different versions. Doornbosch got an Edison award for it one year before he died at 90 years old.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

There's more at this location including Ozark folk songs, Memphis (Bukka White) blues, and other stuff:

http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/index.htm


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

Il_Penseroso said:


> *Patsy Cline*, one of the most favorite country singers in late 50s and early 60s.


She really was incomparable. I believe she fully deserves her legendary status in country music.

I've had that second album you posted for over 30 years; still enjoy it immensely.


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

How about Leo Kottke? A true original, and an extraordinary guitarist. I had the good fortune to see him live about four years ago (he warmed up for John Prine, who could also be included in this thread). When he plays twelve-string slide, it's hard to believe that you're only listening to one guitar.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

I think this thread has some of the best things that are as good as even some of the things that are more well known

http://www.talkclassical.com/43992-outsider-pop-folk-rock.html?highlight=outsider+folk


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

This band is interesting. One of the members was Asian American.

Kusudo & Worth - Elizabeth


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

Il_Penseroso said:


> The Carter Family, one of the first country music recording groups consisted Alvin Pleasant (A.P.) Carter (Vocal), his wife Sara Carter (Vocal, Autoharp and Guitar) and his sister-in-law Maybelle Carter (Vocal and Guitar) who, her daughter June married to Johnny Cash.
> In the first half of the 20th Century They were the most popular and maybe the most influential country group and they recorded hundreds of secular and sacred songs.
> 
> These are some of their lovliest singles :
> ...


There is an interesting documentary on them.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)




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## San Antone (Feb 15, 2018)

Vernacular music is something I really love, and since the movie O Brother Where Art Thou, it got a big upsurge in the US. There have been a lot of young singers/musicians that have begun to perform in an acoustic, old time, folk style.

A couple I like a lot:
Anna & Elizabeth
The Wailin' Jennys

Also Bluegrass has really exploded during the same period - Grascals, Steel Drivers

Regarding the older stuff, some great record labels that specialize in remastering and reissuing old 78s like Old Hat Records and Bear Family have put out some great sets.

I am happy to have found this thread since, as I said, this music occupies much of my listening.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Love this modern take on a favorite American folk song:


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## San Antone (Feb 15, 2018)

I've got a biography of Stephen Foster in my Amazon Wishlist that I should really go ahead and buy. Here's one of my favorite's among many he wrote, "Hard Times Come Again No More"


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## Guest (Feb 18, 2018)

Allison Williams Give me the roses










I got this quirky album from CD Baby. It's good.


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## San Antone (Feb 15, 2018)

I like her banjo  and will try to find it to stream. I am a big banjo fan, play it some and last year bought a fretless, skinhead banjo from a luthier in North Carolina. So I am always interested in new banjo recordings.

Thanks for posting


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

Roscoe Holcomb .

Get it on.


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## San Antone (Feb 15, 2018)

The Deacon said:


> Roscoe Holcomb .
> 
> Get it on.


Yep, great musician. Dock Boggs, Charlie Poole, Frank Proffitt, and for more recent banjo players, Adam Hurt, Walt Koken, Mary Z. Cox.


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

Roscoe Holcomb .

Get it on.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is a guy who plays a lot of the early American blues. I have most of his albums.




http://tomfeldmann.com/


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## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

The folk revival of the 60s produced some interesting artists besides Dylan--Dave "Snaker" Ray, Tom Rush, Phil Ochs, Bryan Bowers (autoharp) and, my favorite, Dave Van Ronk (the inspiration for Inside Llewyn Davis).


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## Nonchalant (Jan 13, 2018)

Koerner, Ray & Glover are great revival stuff.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Doc Watson, Norman Blake


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## Nonchalant (Jan 13, 2018)

norman bates said:


> anyway in the sixties there was the discover of the amazing Robert Pete Williams, probably my favorite blues musician and still one of the most underrated.


I second this. This guy's music is great. I'm glad to hear there's someone else who has even heard of him.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

The Deacon said:


> Roscoe Holcomb .
> 
> Get it on.


I heard him sing and play live, in Indiana during the mid-seventies. Said he'd been doing railroad work in Kentucky and was somewhat "out of practice," then he got into his haunting "high lonesome" style and soon was playing just fine. I learned some five-string banjo from Pete Seeger's book where Roscoe was one of the featured banjoists. He was remarkable.


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## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

starthrower said:


>


I love that album.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I am a huge fan of vernacular music, mainly blues, old time and bluegrass. P prefer Acoustic Blues e.g. Charley Patton, Skip James, Lightnin' Hopkins and Robert Johnson. But who can ignore Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and the entire Chess roster of the '50s?

In my mind I think of Old Time music as pre-Bluegrass, similar instrumentation and many of the same songs but the approach is less muscular and more about the song and less about the musician's technical skill. Dock Boggs, Roscoe Holcomb, the Carter Family, are three old acts, but since the early 2000s there have been a bunch of new bands/solo acts creating a new old time style. Anna & Elizabeth, Dirk Powell, Crooked Jades, and Tim Eriksen just to name a few.

Bluegrass has also seen a rejuvenation in the last two decades, Ralph Stanley (R.I.P.), Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Larry Cordle, and Larry Sparks, have had touring bands for decades but have seen their popularity increase more recently. Some new bands often incorporate stylistic aspects which are not always to my liking, but some are dedicated to preserving the music in a pure form. The Earls of Leicester perform only the music of Flatt & Scruggs and are made up of A List Nashville musicians brought together by Jerry Douglas. Others that come to my mind are Balsam Range, The Boxcars, The Grascals, Don Rigsby - too many to name.

Btw, I am new to the forum and may come and go, but was here before but I forgot my login and re-registered.


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