Folk music is traditional music in the sense that it has been passed down
from one generation to the next, usually by memorization rather than by
writing. In a more modern sense, folk music is music written for and
about, and performed by, common people.
Prior to the twentieth century, folk music was reflective of one’s culture. Throughout the world, each culture claimed its own type of folk
music, songs that told of the history of its people. The music would be
played at festivals and celebrations, and young and old alike knew the
words as well as the dance steps. Folk music was very much a part of
one’s cultural identity.
Folk music as comfort and as protest
In the early decades of the twentieth century, American folk music began
to play an important social role. In the 1930s, the nation was in the
midst of the Great Depression (1929–41). Millions of Americans were
without jobs or homes, and many went hungry. In a time of little hope,
musicians like Woody Guthrie (1912–1967) began singing songs written to give the common man some comfort. His simple tunes, sung while he strummed his guitar, promised better days ahead and let those
who were down and out know they were not alone.
Guthrie influenced many folk singers who came after him, such as
Pete Seeger (1919–), whose own solo career began in the 1950s. He was
famous for songs protesting war and calling for peace and harmony.
Beginning in the 1940s, Burl Ives (1909–1995) became a popular singer
of traditional folk songs and ballads. In the 1950s, folk musicians like
Harry Belafonte (1927–), who popularized Caribbean folk music, and
folk groups like the Limeliters and the Kingston Trio found commercial
success by recording much-loved songs from the past.
Arguably the most well-known folk singer to break onto the music
scene in the 1960s was Bob Dylan (1941–). Dylan was heavily influenced by Guthrie, and one of his most popular early tunes was “Song for
Woody.” Dylan’s music was cherished by many who sought political and
social change in the United States. Perhaps his most famous song,
“Blowin’ in the Wind,” became the anthem of the civil rights movement when folk group Peter, Paul and Mary performed and recorded it
in 1963. The group’s members are Peter Yarrow (1938–), Noel Paul
Stookey (1937–), and Mary Travers (1937–). With the 1962 release of the album Peter, Paul and Mary, the group
shot to stardom. The album remained in the Top 10 for ten months and
in the Top 20 for two years. Within one year, the trio had three albums
in the top six slots on the record charts. Their popularity was solidified
with hits like “If I Had a Hammer” and “Puff, the Magic Dragon.”
Folk musicians became famous not only for their music but also for
living its message. Many, like Joan Baez (1941–) and Peter, Paul and
Mary, were deeply involved in protests against the Vietnam War
(1954–75). They performed and spoke out at demonstrations, marches,
and fundraisers.
Canada was experiencing its own folk movement during the 1960s
and early 1970s. The most famous Canadian folk musicians—Gordon
Lightfoot (1938–), Leonard Cohen (1934–), and Joni Mitchell
(1943–)—all became international stars. Peter, Paul and Mary recorded
Lightfoot’s tune, “In the Early Mornin’ Rain,” which helped them
achieve eight gold and five platinum albums by 1970.
Changing times
By the mid-1970s, folk music as a genre had declined in popularity. New
musicians were blending folk with popular music or country music and
playing it with electric guitars and syncopated (off-beat) rhythms. Other
genres, such as heavy metal and hard rock, incorporate folk melodies and
traditional folk instruments such as fiddles and bagpipes.
Popular musicians continue to acknowledge the value of folk tradition. In 2006, for instance, rock superstar Bruce Springsteen (1949–) released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Along with about a dozen
musicians playing banjos, fiddles, and accordions, Springsteen paid tribute to Seeger by covering his most beloved songs. In giving these songs a
rock-and-roll twist, Springsteen illustrated that folk music is the basis of American classic rock.