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The Search for Folk: Then and Now
Folkways Records founder Moses Asch brought folk music from around the world to American living rooms. Today, we hear about Asch's legacy and those continuing his quest for folk sounds. And: a look at a new collection called "Of Great and Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 US Presidencies." (And we ask the songwriters what they have in store for their 44th song.)
Tell us: What's your "democracy song?"
Finding New Folk Music
Without Moe Asch, folk-music collections would look – and sound – very different. The founder of Folkways Records (later Smithsonian Folkways) captured the sounds of cultures throughout America and around the world. But 60 years after he started the influential label in New York, the search for traditional music and culture still continues. Richard Carlin, author of "World of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways" and New Yorker staff writer Burkhard Bilger join us to talk about how Asch’s work continues in the digital age.
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer asks: "What's a folk song, anyway?"
"The Last Verse: Is There Any Folk Music Still Out There?" (New Yorker)
"Worlds of Sound: The Story of Smithsonian Folkways" site
"Worlds of Sound" on Amazon.com
Ballad of the Commander in Chief
Just in time for tomorrow’s election comes a new collection of songs called "Of Great and Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 U.S. Presidencies." The project is the work of three lo-fi songwriters -- Christian Kiefer, Matthew Gerken and Jefferson Pitcher -- and each song depicts something about the character of each respective president, from greats (Washington and Lincoln) to the not-so-great (Fillmore and Nixon). We get a preview -- and we find out what the next installment may hold.
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