Folk music is one of the oldest music genres, rooted in oral traditions, and evolving into traditional and contemporary forms.
Folk music emerged as the musical expression of ordinary people, passed down orally from one generation to another. It often reflected daily life, rituals, work, and communal experiences.
In medieval Europe, folk songs were tied to storytelling and local traditions. In America, folk music drew heavily from English, Scottish, and Irish traditions, later blending with African and Indigenous influences.
Because it was rarely written down, folk music evolved through the "folk process," resulting in songs that changed slightly with each generation, adapting to cultural shifts.
The characteristics of folk music include oral tradition (songs are learned by ear, not notation), anonymous origins (many traditional songs have no known composer), cultural identity (lyrics often reflect national or regional identity, struggles, and folklore), common instruments (acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle, accordion, and harmonica), and participation (folk music is communal, often performed at gatherings, festivals, and social events).
Traditional folk music is rooted in oral transmission and community life, and focused on storytelling, cultural preservation, and social function. Examples include Appalachian ballads and Celtic folk songs.
Contemporary folk music emerged during the 20th-century folk revival. It blends traditional elements with modern styles like folk-rock, indie folk, and anti-folk. Artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez transformed folk into a vehicle for social protest and popular culture.
Historically, folk music consisted of ballads, work songs, spirituals, and protest songs. Examples include Barbara Allen, John Henry, House of the Rising Sun, The Unquiet Grave, Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill, Erie Canal Song, and Which Side Are You on?. Modern folk music expanded into folk-rock, folk-pop, and fusion genres, including Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind and The Times They Are A-Changin', Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence, Joan Baez's We Shall Overcome, Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Teach Your Children, and modern indie folk by artists like Sufjan Stevens' Chicago.
While not everyone will agree, most will acknowledge that the following artists have been among the most influential and popular folk singers across history: Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot, Judy Collins, Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), Arlo Guthrie, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Donovan, Richie Havens, Odetta, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman, Paul Simon (solo), and Willie Nelson.
Folk music is a preservation of cultural heritage as well as a living, evolving art form. Traditional folk connects us to the past through oral storytelling and communal identity, while contemporary folk adapts these traditions to modern contexts, often serving as a voice for social change.
Recommended Resources
Produced by the FreshGrass Foundation, Folk Alley is an online folk music hub offering streaming radio, curated playlists, podcasts, reviews, video sessions, and coverage of folk festivals. Its features include 24/7 radio with playlist controls and a live stream playable on the site, curated shows, podcasts such as "Basic Folk," video content, festival coverage, interviews with folk musicians, and long-form stories. A membership option allows for ad-free listening.
https://folkalley.com/
FAI is the world's largest non-profit membership organization serving the folk music community. It runs an annual conference that brings together artists, presenters, industry professionals, and advocates from around the world. The International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs) are presented by FAI to recognize industry leaders, legends, rising talent, and unsung heroes across categories such as Album, Song, Artist of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, People's Voice, Clearwater, and Rising Tide.
https://www.folk.org/
Curated and hosted by broadcaster Ron Olesko, the Folk Music Notebook is a 24/7 Internet radio station and program guide focused on contemporary folk music. Visitors to the site can click the player on the site's index page. page to listen to the current week's program guide, and free iOS and Android mobile applications are offered for on-the-go listening. An Amazon Alexa skill is also available, and instructions for its use are provided on the website. Sponsors are acknowledged.
https://folkmusicnotebook.com/
Folk Music Society of New York, The
FMSNY is a long-running non-profit organization that fosters participation in traditional and contemporary folk music through concerts, workshops, sing-arounds, and community events. The organization traces its roots to the mid-1960s and describes itself as "celebrating folk music since 1965." Membership information, contacts, and a calendar of events are posted on the site, including its Traditional Music and Dance Camp (TradMaD). Interviews with FMSNY performers are featured on its podcasts.
https://folkmusicny.org/
Originally a print publication, beginning in 2001, FolkWorks went online in mid-2007. It features articles and columns, interviews, and CD reviews contributed by members of the folk music community. Its calendars feature both live and virtual events, with the ability to filter by location and genre, curated by artists, venues, and producers in the community. Its archives include digitized copies of its original print publication and archived newsletters. Contacts are included.
https://folkworks.org/
Houston Folklore & Music Society
Started in 1951, the Houston Folklore Society held its early meetings at the Jewish Community Center, the Downtown YMCA, and Hermann Park Pavilion. In 1988, the organization's name was changed to Houston Folklore and Folk Music Society, then shortened and incorporated later that same year as Houston Folklore and Music Society. Membership information, concert schedules, monthly song circles, and other events are featured on its site, along with an audio archive.
https://www.houstonfolkmusic.org/
Born in 1952, John McCutcheon is an American folk music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has produced 45 albums since the 1970s, receiving six Grammy Award nominations. He is best known for folk music. His official website features artist news, show schedules, song lyrics, information on his songwriting camp, profiles of his instruments, videos, live streams, photos, fan pictures, and an online store selling CDs, camp reservations, and apparel.
https://www.folkmusic.com/
The National Folk Organization of the United States (NFO) was founded in 1968 to make information about and opportunities in the folk arts across the United States available to members. With members in all fifty states, the NFO seeks to unify both individuals and organizations interested in maintaining and enjoying folk arts in America. NFO holds an annual conference and sponsors "Pourparlair," a seminar for music and dance teachers from across the United States.
https://nfo-usa.org/
Offering group classes, private lessons, concerts, workshops, and family programs in folk and related traditions since 1957, the Old Town School of Folk Music is a large non-profit community arts school in Chicago. Enrolling adults, teens, and children, its programs include guitar, banjo, voice, dance, ukulele, ensembles, workshops, and private lessons, with online and in-person options. New session start dates, ongoing open enrollments, and contacts are featured.
https://www.oldtownschool.org/
