Folksong Festival: About
Airs Saturdays at 10PM on AM 820
Oscar Brand at the 60th anniversary of Folksong Festival
The show remains one of the few programs devoted to the traditional and contemporary folksong. Over the years, Folksong Festival has survived battles with mayors and blacklists. Folksong Festival was one of the first radio programs to focus on issues of homosexuality and continues to shake up audiences with anti-American Revolution programs, "bad daddy" shows for Father's Day, "Evil Mothers" for Mother's Day, and more. Throughout, WNYC never censored the program nor prevented it from airing at its regular time. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Huddie Ledbetter, and Pete Seeger all made their debuts on Folksong Festival. Guest performers have also included Burl Ives, Bill Monroe, Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins, Odetta, Merle Travis, John Denver, B.B. King, and Harry Chapin.
Contact Folksong Festival: listenerservices@wnyc.org
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Oscar Brand - Host, Folksong Festival
Folk balladeer, playwright, producer, musician, and host Oscar Brand premiered Folksong Festival on WNYC AM on December 10, 1945, after his discharge from the army. In 1995, on its fiftieth anniversary, the program won a prestigious Peabody Award for its contribution to American culture. Today, nearly six decades later, the show is one of the longest-running radio programs in the world.