Exploring American Folk Music: Ethnic, Grassroots, and Regional
Traditions in the United States reflects the fascinating diversity of
regional and grassroots music in the United States. The book covers the
diverse strains of American folk music--Latin, Native American, African,
French-Canadian, British, and Cajun--and offers a chronology of the
development of folk music in the United States.
The book is divided into discrete chapters covering topics as seemingly
disparate as sacred harp singing, conjunto music, the folk revival,
blues, and ballad singing. It is among the few textbooks in American
music that recognizes the importance and contributions of Native
Americans as well as those who live, sing, and perform music along our
borderlands, from the French-speaking citizens in northern Vermont to
the extensive Hispanic population living north of the Rio Grande River,
recognizing and reflecting the increasing importance of the varied
Latino traditions that have informed our folk music since the founding
of the United States. Another chapter includes detailed information
about the roots of hip-hop, and this updated edition of the book
features a new chapter on urban folk music, exploring traditions in our
cities, with a case study focusing on Washington, D.C. Exploring
American Folk Music also introduces you to such important figures in
American music as Bob Wills, Lydia Mendoza, Bob Dylan, and Muddy Waters,
who helped shape what America sounds like in the twenty-first century.
It also features new sections at the end of each chapter with up-to-date
recommendations for "Suggested Listening," "Suggested Reading," and
"Suggested Viewing."
