BellaOnline Forums Books and Music Folk Music What is Folk Music

I have been researching the definition of Folk Music and the answers from the "experts" are quite varied and interesting. I'd like to hear from Bella members how you would define Folk Music. What does it mean to you?

Peter Paul and Mary..... a song where the lyrics make you think, feel and are just if not more important then the music. Most good Folk songs could stand alone as poetry.

Thank Terri for your input ...

I would agree that the lyrics should make a meaningful statement and stand alone without the music. Many folk songs, particularly celtic, are stories and poems that have been interpreted in music.

To me, folk music is like folk art, it is from the "folk", meaning everyday people. Folk music has a purpose whether it is to make a statement "We Shall Overcome", "Carry it On", share beauty of the natural world, Bill Staines' songs come to mind, discuss loss of love, protest war, mourn slavery, stand up for civil rights, and so much more.

Folk music gets into our ears and into our souls. We hum it, we sing it, we remember the words. It is accessible to everyone, regardless of race, religion, or level of education.

I have played and sang folk music since I was 14 yrs. old. At 54, it still has a strong appeal. It doesn't grow old, though circumstances in which some of it were written may have changed.

Pat, www.quiltersmuse.com

Thank you Pat for your input.

Yes, music for the people from the people that tells of the times we live in. I personnally do not prescribe to the idea that Folk music is only the old traditional pieces. I think music must evolve with the times. I'm not saying that the music that is produced by the pop machine can be considered folk but I do think that new compositions of folk music is being written for todays times. There are many ballards and muses that follow a folk style from contemporary artists in folk, in celtic, in bluegrass genres. I also believe that folk music can be instrumental with the story being told through the music.

One of my favorite songs, I'll Fly Away, sounds great as a vocal, but blows me away as a Blue Grass tune with just instruments.

I agree that folk music is ever evolving. Are you familiar with Susie Burke and Dave Surette, two musicians who perform music that is very expressive and which would definitely fit into the category of modern folk music.

There will always be a place in my heart for old tunes, certain ones more than others, of course, but the music being written and performed today really touches my heart, too.

Best,

Pat, www.quiltersmuse.com

Pat ...
I'm sorry to admit that I am not familiar with Susie Burke or David Surrette. I see from a web search that they are New England based and although I am too, I have not seen them. I will have to make it a point to watch for them at Stone Soup or perhaps the coffee house in Franklin MA. Unfortunately, there are so many choices for music here that sometimes it gets hard to choose lol! AND my passion for Cajun/Zydeco dance usually rules.

Can you tell me a little more about Susie and David? Have you seen them perform?

I also wanted to comment about "I'll Fly Away" ... yes, I too love that tune and it is quite popular among the bluegrass artists.

Hi Chris:

Yes, I have seen Susie Burke in concert twice. The themes of her music are very contemporary. I have her CD, "lucky stars", produced by Madrina Music, P.O. Box 4225, Portsmouth, NH 03802, 1990.

David does instrumentals. They are quite a team.

One of her songs, "A Sailor's Prayer", is in a book of folksongs I own. The song was copyrighted in 1978 by Blue Flute Music.

Pat, www.quiltersmuse.com

OK ...come on folks ... I am still looking for your definitions of Folk Music please.

Chris:

What is folk music? It is all in the eye of the beholder. Folk music as a concept as expanded in recent times. Some people now consider Beatles music to be "folk music". In my day, and now I sound really ancient, Beatles music was "cutting edge". Yes, I was around to see their first performance on the Ed Sullivan show, a show I considered moldy, as a teenager, but which I was routinely subjected to on Sunday nights, preceded by Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights. Anyhow, to stay on topic, Beatles tunes have shown up in an anthology of folk music.

Most people would consider the tunes of Bill Staines to be folk music, even though they have been (fairly) recently written. His song, "Redbird's Wing" speaks to my soul, and I even designed and made a landscape quilt, based on the lyrics. His music is classic.

Globally, every country has its own folklore tradition. These would be songs that are familiar to the core population, that could be sung without a music score and everyone would know the words. In the dance tradition, I think we have to look to fiddle tunes for contra dancing as part of the broader definition of "folk music".

Folk music records the struggles of the common people and gives them a voice. It is the music of the weaver of the 19th century, it is the music of the migrant farm laborer, it is the music of the men who built the railroads, it is the music of us all.

Pat, www.quiltersmuse.com