Evolution of American Folk Music Participants

Traditional folk music lies at the roots townspeople they performed for, and graph records, the fiddles and ac­ Barry Ancelet M.G., Cajun program of many of the different strains that they began to spread their music cordion were supplemented by guitars, Ardoin Family Cajun musicians make up American popular music. But, throughout the country. They started and later by electric guitars, pedal Bata Players Afro-Cuban drummers the connection between "down home" to take advantage of the possibilities steels, drums, and string or electric Balta Brothers Cajun musicians music and the professional music which offered by radio and records- the bass. From time to time throughout the Inez Catalan Cajun ballad singer evolved from it is often hidden or lost. chance to be heard regularly by many years, Cajun music has been interjected Sam Chatmon Blues guitarist thousands of people. And, as techno­ into country music; it has borrowed from Clifton Chenier Cajun blues band This year's program, the Evolution of Wilma Lee and Stony Cooper American Folk Music, presents four logy developed, it offered improvements country music and rockabilly. Zydeco, & the Clinch Mtn. Clan Grand Ole Opry traditions of folk music and several in the instruments themselves and a the music of the many Black Cajuns, is country musicians styles of more popular music which corresponding change in the music­ a mixture of blues and traditional Cajun Corozo Group Puerto Rican have descended from the older forms. a dobra or steel guitar could replace a songs. There are many strains of Cajun popular musicians Two of the traditions are familiar to wood guitar; an electric guitar or pedal music today, but, through melody and Dorin a Gonzalez Mexican/ American singer many people who visit folk festivals­ steel could replace an acoustic guitar. language, they are united by close ties Josh Graves Dobro instrumentalist Black music and white country music. Country music not only incorporated to the traditional French songs. El Grupo Afro Folklorico The two other traditions are ones we technological improvements, it began There are many differences between Nuevo Yorquino Latin folklore group have never presented with the same incorporating many of the other styles Jimmie Rodgers and Merle Haggard, Esteban Jordan Chicano folklore group attention-the music of the French­ of music with which it shared the stage Key West Junknoos Junknoos band and between the Balfa Brothers and Manuel Liscano Mexican/American speaking Cajuns of Louisiana, and the and the air-waves, and began competing Clifton Chenier. There are also many Cantina singer music of Spanish-speaking Cubans, with other music for the attention of the differences between them and the peo­ Tex Logan Country fiddler Puerto Ricans, and Mexican-Americans public. In the West, bands became larger ple from whom they learned; but, there Rene Lopez M.G., Cuban/Puerto from New York and Texas. In these pres­ and added horns and the sound of swing are strong connections within each Rican program entations we feature the music that music, creating the music known as style of music. That connection- in Jimmy C. Newman Cajun country singer people make at home for their own en­ Western Swing. In the East, Nashville Cajun, Black, country, and Spanish­ La Patato Cuban street musicians joyment, and the music that developed became the center of a recording and language music- is the theme of this Rev. Leon Pinson Gospel singer as these people and their students be­ publishing industry like Tin Pan Alley, program. and guitarist gan making music outside their homes which developed the sound of modern Lonnie Lee Pitchford One-string for the entertainment of the public. Country music. And, in the border states player and guitarist and industrial areas of the North, blue­ Christine Rainey and the Ensemble Most of us are familiar, for example, Sacred Singers Holiness singers with today's Country music-music of grass developed a third style of music. Jose Reyna M.G., Mexican/ mass appeal created in Nashville and Today's country music includes not American program Bakersfield, and heard on radios, pho­ only the latest thing, it includes the James Talley Southwest country singer nographs, and television. Folk festival older forms as well. Joe Townsend, Jesse Mays Gospel singer regulars are also familiar with some of One further example: there are about and guitarist the older forms of traditional Anglo­ one and a half million French-speaking Lupe Valenti Mexican/American American folk music from which today's people in Louisiana. Two hundred years Mariachi singer country music is descended-either ago, several thousand French colonists Speedy West Swing Band Western Swing the ballads of the Appalachians, or the in Acadia (later Nova Scotia) were forced band fiddle tunes which are found in every to emigrate. They settled in the bayous part of the country. Ballads and fiddle and farm land of south-western Lou i­ tunes were performed on a frontporch, siana, and have preserved not only the or at a barn-dance. After the turn of the French language, but folk music that century, people started to get together is very strongly tied to French folk in schoolhouses and theaters instead music. The unaccompanied ballads and of their porches and barns. Skilled folk­ twin-fiddle and accordion music per­ musicians began to travel from town formed even today represent the oldest to town, like the traveling preachers of known forms of Cajun music. As Cajun an earlier time. They learned from the music began to be featured on phone- 39