Folkways at SO: Festivals and Recordings Anthony Seeger ifty years ago, an immigrant audio engineer Folk Festival; he published the recordings with a deep love of American music, Moses of generations of researchers and schol­ Asch, started his third record company in ars - including some of those who F would eventually have a major influence New York City after suffering two bankruptcies. on the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. For He called the new example, recordings of Doc Watson and company Folkways his family by Ralph Rinzler, founding Records and decid­ director of the Festival, were first issued ed he would use it on Folkways; Bernice Johnson Reagon, to create a kind of African-American scholar, singer, song­ public archive of writer, and folklorist with the Festival's the world's sounds. African Diaspora Program, recorded her He was also deter­ first album on Folkways. Moreover, the mined to provide a philosophies of Folkways and the Folklife record label for Festival were similar: to celebrate cultural those whose voices diversity and human artistry; to provide were rarely heard an educational framework through which beyond their com­ to understand cultural manifestations; munities, from the and to encourage people to delve as most traditional Pete Seeger and Moses Asch at Folkways' office, New York City, 1956. deeply as they wish into the subject mat­ artists to the most Photo© David Gahr ter by providing substantial supplemental avant -garde. He material - liner notes in the case of would eventually produce over 2,100 LP look forward to new technologies and Folkways and program books like this records and keep them all in print until new directions through which to do the one in the case of the Folklife Festival. his death in 1986. In 1987 the Smith­ same for the future. In three 50th anniversary concerts we sonian Institution acquired Folkways It is appropriate to celebrate Folkways' recognize the importance of music for Records as well as the Moses and 50th anniversary at the Folklife Festival. children in the Folkways legacy, look Frances Asch Collection of archival Folkways Records was a touchstone of the back at some of the influential artists materials, now both part of the Center early folk music revival through its sup­ recorded by Moses Asch in the 1940s, and for Folklife Programs & Cultural Studies. port of many influential artists and its then look forward to artists who appear In 1998 we look back over a half-centu­ participation in many events. Moses Asch on the most recent compact disc issued ry of activities that have profoundly housed Sing Out! magazine during its by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. influenced the music of our time, and early years; he recorded at the Newport Children's Matinee, Friday, June 26th, Support for Folkways At 50 comes from BMI (the American performance rights organization), the United States 5:30- 7:00P.M., Featuring Ella Jenkins Postal Service, M.A. C. E. (Mississippi Action for Community Education), Global Arts/Media Foundation, and Larry Long with Children from P.A.C.E.R.S. (Program for Academic and Cultural Enhancement of Rural Schools) Small Schools Cooperative & Rural Schools in Alabama Community Celebration of Place Project, KOCH International, Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Institution Music for children has been one of the National Museum of American History, TRO The Richmond Organization, Columbia Records and Sony Music most influential parts of Folkways Entertainment, Michael Asch, Walter Beebe and the New York Open Center, Andrew Dapuzzo and Disctronics, Records - many people heard their first David Glasser, Charlie Pitzer, and Airshow Mastering, Inc., Judith DeMaris Hearn, Ella Jenkins, Richard Kurin, Folkways record in a classroom. Moses Mark Miller and Queens Group, Inc., Microsoft Corporation/Media Acquisitions Department, Arnold L. Po/inger, Asch thought children should be exposed Razor & Tie Entertainment, and The Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Funds. to good, authentic music from many cul- 98 SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL 1998 Folkways at 50 tural traditions. In this afternoon concert nity-based music. The program will fea­ Seminole flute player), Tzo'kam (tradi­ we celebrate not only the contributions ture Sharon Burch (Navajo singer/song­ tional Salish songs), and Sissy Good­ of musicians who perform for children writer), Joy Harjo and Poetic Justice house (Lakota traditional singer). but the creativity of children themselves. (contemporary poetry and jazz), Judy Trejo and her daughters (Paiute tradi­ Anthony Seeger, Ph.D., is curator and direc­ Folkways Founders/U.S. Postal Service tional songs), Mary Youngblood (Aleut- tor ofSmithsonian Folkways Recordings. Folk Musicians Stamp Concert, Friday, June 26th, 7:00-9:00 P.M. In 1998 the U.S. Postal Service is issuing Suggested General Reading a stamp series commemorating four Goldsmith, Peter. Making People~ Music Moe Asch and Folkways Records. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian important figures in the folk music Institution Press, 1998. The first comprehensive biography of the man who founded Folkways Records, his revival of the 1950s and 1960s: Lead vision, and his influence on 20th-century music. Belly, Woody Guthrie, Sonny Terry, and Josh White. All four artists recorded for Suggested Listening for the Children's Matinee Moses Asch. To honor these men who Jenkins, Ella.Songs Children Love to Sing. Smithsonian Folkways 45042. played prominent roles in both Folkways Long, Larry. Here /Stand: Elders' Wisdom, Children~ Songs. Smithsonian Folkways 45050. and 20th-century American music, we Smithsonian Folkways Children~ Music Collection. Smithsonian Folkways 45043. are inviting musicians whose styles have been strongly influenced by them to per­ form at an evening concert. Featured Suggested Listening for the artists are Toshi Reagon, Josh White, Jr., Folkways Founders Concert Arlo Guthrie, and the Willie Foster Blues LEAD BELLY Folkways: The Original Vision (Smithsonian Folkways 40001) with songs by Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie; Band. Lead Belly~ Last Sessions (Smithsonian Folkways 40068); and the Lead Belly Legacy Series (Smithsonian Folkways 40044,40045,401 05). Heartbeat: Voices of First Nations WooDY GUTHRIE Folkways: The Original Vision (Smithsonian Folkways 40001) with songs by Lead Belly and Woody Women Concert, Sunday, June 28th, Guthrie; This Land Is Your Land (Smithsonian Folkways 40100); and, for children, Nursery Days (Smithsonian 5:30-9:00 P.M. Folkways 45036). Because most traditional Native women's SoNNY TERRY Sonny Terry: The Folkways Years (Smithsonian Folkways 40033) and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee Sing music has been performed in private set­ (Smithsonian Folkways 40011 ). tings - in their homes or during tribal JosH WHITE The original acetate masters recorded by Moses Asch were preserved for over 50 years and released in ceremonies - very little of this music April on Josh White: Free and Equal Blues (Smithsonian Folkways 40081 ). has been heard outside the women's own communities. Yet women's music is a­ Suggested·Reading &Listening for the growing and dynamic part of Native music today. In addition to traditional First Nations Women Concert women's genres, women have recently Bataille, Gretchen.American Indian Women: AGuide to Research. New York: Garland, 1991. begun to perform music previously Green, Rayna.American Indian Women: AContextual Bibliography. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1979. restricted to men. A number of singer/ --. Women in American Indian Society. New York: Chelsea House, 1992. songwriters also have created songs that Jamieson, Kathleen. Native Women in Canada: ASelected Bibliography. Ottawa: Social Sciences and use Native languages and rhythms and Humanities, 1983. often deal with issues of concern to con­ temporary American Indians. Burch, Sharon. The Blessing Ways. Canyon CR546. Some of the artists featured on a new --.Touch the Sweet Earth. Canyon CR535. Smithsonian Folkways recording of --. Yazzie Girl. Canyon CR534. Native women's music will be presented Good house, Sissy. The Third Circle: Songs of Lakota Women. Makoche 113. 1 in a concert that celebrates both the --. Tiwahe. Makoche 140. release of the album and the half-centu­ Harjo, Joy, and Poetic Justice. Letter from the End of the Twentieth Century. Silver Wave 914. ry that Folkways Records and Smith­ Heartbeat: Voices of First Nations Women. Smithsonian Folkways 40415. sonian Folkways Recordings have been Heartbeat 2: More Voices of First Nations Women. Smithsonian Folkways 40455. introducing wider audiences to commu- Youngblood, Mary. The Offering. Silver Wave SD 917. 1998 SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL 99 .