Is Hip hop folk music?

When people picture folk music in their head they usually envision back woods hill billy's strumming a banjo. The image of hip hop is certainly not a thought that comes across their thinking. But hip hop can be considered to be folk music. Folk music in itself is music of a people, and people musics can be influenced by others peoples music but the outcome is something that is theirs. Hip hop is an example of that. hip hop comes the back streets of the urban cities and it is the music of the people that live within these areas. But hip hop did not transform over night, not int the least rather it comes a long line of influences of other folk music.

When folk music is handed down to the next generation of folk there are changes made with the new hands that take it. This change can be influenced from adapting to a new era with new ideas and styles of music or new struggles , problems, or events that occurring during the generation. Like a set of dominoes, each generation of a folk music influences the next and it changes as it shifts to the next era, but yet they can all be linked together in a chain like fashion. If you look at hip hop and the way it is played and structured you can connect it to African American slaves on cotton farms in the south. The foundation of modern Hip Hop can be found to be linked from traditional African American Music.


This music first started out in the fields with simple work songs. This music carried on into the churches of the African Americans once they were liberated from slavery and it later transformed into the musical genre of the blues. From the blues the denomination of R&B was created and from there such musical styles as Motown, soul, and funk were forged. From there hip hop was sparked from all of these influences, each aspect helped to piece together what we know today as hip hop. Each generation is linked and is influenced by each other making he end product of hip hop.


Hip hop will eventually help to influence a new form of music as the next era of music comes just as the blues and soul have influenced hip hop. Hip hop can be considered to be a modern day version of African American work songs or Motown. Each genre has played a part in creating hip hop. Therefore hip hop can be considered to be folk music because it is a product of a long line of folk music from different generations. Each generation influences the other but a change occurs when it moves on to the next era, hip hop is a product of change and the handing down of music from another generation.


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Is Folk Music still Alive?

In a generation filled with music that's driven by electronic programming and studio magic, has folk music fallen to the wayside? If you listen to the music of today's generation you will find that it all stems from other generations of music eventually leading to its folk music origin. Folk music is alive today and it holds  relevance because today's folk music is just a modify version of folk roots. Today's  Alternative rock, Indie rock, Hip Hop, Rap, and general Popular music all relate to its past generations forms. Take Hip Hop and Rap for an example, "popular black music, with its strong roots in tradtional forms, the church and blues (R&B), Mowtown and soul, funk, and rap" (Lornell 325).

The foundation of modern Hip Hop and Rap can be found to be linked from traditional African American Music. This music first started out in the fields with simple work songs. This music carried on into the churches of the African Americans once they were liberated from slavery and it later transformed into the musical genre of the blues. From the blues the denomination of R&B was created and from there such musical styles as Motown, soul, and funk were forged. From all these changes over the generations  modern Rap was born.

 Even today's Alternative rock and Indie rock can linked to past generational forms of rock music. You can start the root of rock from the Blues which is connected to African American work songs. Rock and Roll is a subset of the Blues, from it came R&B and then transformed into Rockabilly music in the 1950's that gave birth to such legends as Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. From there came early Rock in the 1960's then into the hair bands of the 1980's.
In the end from all this transformation came into what we know today as modern Alternative rock and Indie rock. Just like today's Hip Hop and Rap modern Rock has connections to past generational musical forms. Folk music is not dead in today's music nor i it lost, it simply has been modified like all folk music has as it travels into a new generations hands.

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The Revival of Folk Music in the 1960's

The 1960's where a time of a generational change in America along with this time of change came a rival of folk music. This revival of American folk music seem to cut it's self off from "the old free America". This generation of folk musicians expressed their desire to "cut American off fro any need to measure themselves against the idealism of the Utopian, the puritans" (Marcus 89). This generation of youth wanted to wonder way from the ideal "freedom" of old America that their parents held in high regard.  These youth were "...pioneers  that demanded for a new world with every wish for change" (Marcus 89) from the old ideals of America.

Folk musician such as Robert Zimmerman or other wise know as Bob Dylan, was a leader for this yearning for change in old America. This generational desire for change was seen to be weird in the eyes of the older generations in America because they had held these ideals Puritanism for so long.This folk must revival was a a gate way for other ethnic music in America to express there cultural identity and their view on society.

These ethnic groups included the African American and the blues and the Spanish Americans with Latino music. The folk revial was not just a time of new music but also a time of great change in American society. The revival of folk music in America in the 1960's was a time of culture change in regards to the new ideals for America and was a gate way for other ethnic groups to express their music.







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Authenticity and Folk Music

Authenticity in regards to folk music is the genuineness and originality of a folks music. It is something that has been untainted with by the ideals of main stream society and it is left in its purest form. It is of the folk itself with no other opposing outside forces that try to tamper with it. Authenticity in folk music matters because  if the music is kept authentic then people can truly understand the music. The music hasn't been changed to form to the models that a pop society demands or what sells, it honest to itself therefore making it truly what it is. If it left untouched by the hands of outside folk the music is and will stay authentic. Authenticity has affected folk music in many ways. Ethnomusiclogist such as John Lomax tampered the cow boy and folk songs he collected by making them into a product that could sell to a pop culture society rather than let the people appreciate the music for what it is.

 An example of John Lomax's work is the African American musician Lead Belly. Lomax discovered Lead Belly when he was collecting folk songs from jails and he decided to take Lead Belly out and use him as a way to bring in money, while at the same time using Lead Belly as a source of authentic folk music. Lomax consider Lead Belly to be authentic because he had spent time in prison for so many years that he had been untouched by society. In reality Lomax striped Lead Belly of his authenticity because he created him into a product that could selling to the viewing public.


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THe Revival of Folk Music

Slobin Chapter 5

Folk music has evolved from the countryside to mediated music due to internal needs and from external pressures. Folk music started as a use to many kinds of movements like religious, radical, and progressive. These songs types were expressed throughout the world eventually moving from the countryside to the city.

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Lornell Chapter  10

The folk rival describes how folk musicians reverted back to the music tradition always. These musicians come from different regional, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.  In the early 1960’s musicians went through the red roots phase which was a politicized folk song movement. Musicians like Mike Seeger played Appalachian mountain music.  

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Is the Blues Folk Music?

The blues is such a distinct and popular genre of music with multiple styles and interpretations of it. But is this popular well know genre of music folk music? Most would agree that the blues is a family member of folk music but there are aspects within the blues that can be considered to stray away from folk music.

It can be noted that the blues origins stem from the African slaves that were forced over to American. The blues first took form of simple work songs and eventually developed into something bigger. It developed into its own genre with numerous styles and has become woven into the fabric of American music. The foundation of what makes the blues a relative of folk music is that "...blues songs are adapted and passed along in traditional folk manner" (Wald 111)much like the folk songs of immigrants that came to the new world. The passing down of songs from generation to generation is the life blood of folk music. The passing down of songs is one of the corner stones of the blues. In folk music there are aspects within the music that can be found from other cultural folk music. The blues has been "...quoted with some lyrics that were popular with colored soldiers in France"(Wald 111). There are major foundations in folk music that are found in the blues and are major corner stones of it.

But there are also aspects in the fabric of the blues that are considered to stray away from the ways of folk music. One major part is that the blues is often "...regarded as a pop rather than folk style specifically, as a variety of ragtime" (Wald112). To some people regard he blues as popular music rather than apart of folk music.

Folk music, especially the blues, and commercial interest have interacted since the early twentieth century. It began when"commercial record companies began seriously recording regional country, blues. and gospel artists simultaneous to radio's first days" (Lornell 51).  As these folk styles became popular within the regions they originated from there became an increasing want to record and broadcast the music. These songs recordings would be advertised in "newspapers and magazines advertisement...in monthly releases" (Lornell 51). This interaction does affect these cultural traditions because it forms them into a main stream mold that transforms the style into what they people want to hear rather than keep it traditional. It is great that folk songs of a people are broadcast out throughout the nation. But with that the folk music seems to lose its value and originality.

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The Blues and nothing but the Blues

The blues is weaved  into the fabric of American music, It is one of those generations of American that has adapted and grown since it was developed by the African American. The music itself contains different aspects and takes on it. Musicologist Robert Palmer has found features within the blues.
What we know as the blues was considered as "black country" and its origins are derived from the African slaves that were forced to America in the eighteen hundreds. These song were used during work time to pass the time and to entertain the mind through he long mundane tasks. These songs are lead by a single singer and are comprised of improvised short lines. This songs generally took on Biblical, romantic, or of themes of struggle. Through the generation this music has modeled to the specific ways of that time but still retaining its principles.
The blues, like with any form of music, can hold different definitions to different people. Musician Elijah Wald defines the blues as first being black popular music that derived from folk of poor background. It was used to help other folk understand the problems and aspirations of folk on the on the street or out in the country. Later down the road music formed into something entirely different that being played for a white cult audience that picked up on the blues and interpreted it as there own,
Wald also strongly advocated for a blues musician named Robert Johnson who like Charley Patton, did not want become a superstar of the music or make it into the mainstream. Rather he aspired to make genuine blues popularized. All though he did not make a dent during his time of perform his work played more of an impacted down the road because he became the primary example of pure blues.
Blues music started out as simple work songs but later evolved into one of the strongest forms of music we know today. There are many variations to the music but may try to keep it pure like Robert Johnson. But the blues is music of the folk.






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Caribbean music is vivacious and spirited with a wide variety of styles and influences. Caribbean music itself can be divided into five different themes.

1. Race and Ethnicity
Caribbean music has French, Puerto Rican, American, and African influence and songs reflect on ethnically while at the same time prompting cultural indemnity.

2. Music Sex and Sexism
The music reflects love betrayal, and loss it also reflects the struggles of male and female roles in Caribbean society.

3. Caribbean International
Due to Caribbean's migrating to North America their music has spread to such cities as San Diego, Cleveland, New York, and Detroit, these songs also reflect living in such cities.

4.Unity/Diversity in Continent of Islands
Caribbean Islands divided politically, geographically, language, and political domain and can be dived into three cultural zones, Spanish, French, and English. All are influenced musically be American popular music such as R&B.

5. Music and Politics
Within the Caribbean there is a lot of toil, poverty, and repressive/corrupt government and music has been a form of escape from it while at the same time reflects these trails.

These themes together build the foundation of Caribbean music as a whole. Each theme brings an interesting aspect to the music.


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Hawaiian American

There are multiple ethnic ties with the Hawaiian music. It’s predominately vocal with a connection to mana. Songs consists of mele and hula interprets it. 

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Franco-American Cajun, Zydeco, Northeastern

French colonist settled in Louisiana where they intermingled with natives mixing their two cultures into Cajun. Cajun music mix of two cultures, the French brought their fiddle and folk songs, the Natives high pitched style. Zydeco is a subset of Cajun music. Franco’s in northeast sang bawdy songs called gaulois. 

                                              

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The Music of the Hispanic Americans

Like most folk music of immigrants that came to America "Hispanic American folk music and folk based music is very closely related to the styles brought from their native countries" (Lornell 251). There are many styles of Hispanic American folk this is especially true in Texas where music and other forms of Hispanic culture is group under the name "Tex-Mex".  the music and culture is highly concerted along the broader of Mexico and Texas. Styles of Hispanic American folk music that can be found there is Corridos, Mariachi, and Conjunto.

Conjunto music particularly is used in constructing and affirming identity for the Hispanic American folk. Conjunto "...reflects it's origins in Northerner Mexico" and is the  "...most prominent form of folk music along he boarder" (Lornell 257). It is the music of the blue collar men and women of society and it "...remains to this day the everyday music of working-class Texas Mexicans and Mexican "Nortenos" (Northerners)" (Pena). The music helps to preserve a Mexican working class culture. Its establishes the identity of the folk in society in regards to social class and it gives these folk a voice. This ideology of the Mexican working culture was carried over and rooted in America because Conjunto music helped to construct and affirm it in the soil of the new land. Another example of a folk where music serves as a similar purpose were the Irish. There songs were of the working class much like the Hispanics and their music. 

The experience of the Hispanic immigrants  were similar to those of other immigrants that came to the America. These other groups included the African Americans, the Irish, Scottish, and English. Their songs were of the working folk and their music help to preserve it the identity and affirm it in the new world. The Hispanic Americans musical response focused heavily on their native countries folkways and ideologies. Although American folkways did touch the music of the Hispanic Americans, but it did not over take it and completely change over the generations like other music of other immigrants groups such as the Germans and the their Polka. The African Americans take on music reflected the inner struggles of oppression and the Anglo Cowboys of the west sang songs that provoked their loneliness. These groups did not maintain the music of their native lands like that of the Hispanic Americans.

Hispanic American is heavily based on their native country's music from style, to form, to what instruments are used. There are many styles of Hispanic music especially in the region of the Texas and Mexican boarder (Tex-Mex region). Conjunto is one particular style of music that affirms the Hispanic folks identity as a working class people.


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The German The Polish and The Polka

 Ethnomusicologist Kip Lornell advocates that "today's polka music and dance is distinctly American". Lornell says that "because it has been over one hundred years since many of northern Europeans immigrated to the United States" (Lornell 236). These northern Europeans (the Germans and Polish) brought their forms of music to the new world. They hoped to sustain their culture and sustain their identity as a folk through their music in the melting pot of the new world. They strive to keep their folks ways alive with their music by handing it down to their children who were born in America but as generation from generation carried the music it adapted to the folk ways of America to a point where it became what it was not intended to become, American.

The music of polka has intertwined into the fabric of American folkways It as taken on new forms and styles making it the music American. Such styles include "Chicago style polka which has a distinctive sound and performance" (Bohlam Encyclopedia of Chicago). The polka way and music has become distinctly American.

The immigration experience for the Germans Poles, Czechs, and the Scandinavians in the Midwest differed greatly to that of the English, Irish and Scottish in the Appalachian region and the Africans down south. When the English , Irish, and Scottish came to America they came at a time when America was taking mass amounts of immigrants, They experienced great struggle trying to find work and make a new life for themselves. The Africans were stolen from their home land and forced to live in southern plantation. They experienced the great struggle due to the great oppression of the their white counter parts. While the northern Europeans on the other hand came to America after the second world war when the immigrants had been established and it was easier to gain a new life in America. The path was already cleared for them from their previous European brothers who ventured into the new world.

Not only were their experiences different but their musical response also differed. The musical responses of the English, Irish, and Scottish consisted of old English ballads that had been handed down from their parents parents and songs that describe life in the Appalachian region. The Africans response was emotional. Songs provoked inner emotional struggle working on a plantation and the pain of discrimination. The northern Europeans take was purely jovial which made for polka and dance music. The polka music was a way to define the folk as a people in a new world.

When immigrants came to the new world the brought with their luggage and their music. With their music they hoped to preserve their way of life so that it could be handed to the next generation. But with the passing down of music to generation to generation the music adapted and changed to the American folk ways much like the polka music of the Germans and polish. Each immigrant group also had their own response to music ranging from inner struggles to festive dances.


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John Lomax and The Cowboys

John Lomax was enthnomusicologist in the early twentieth century. He grew up in Texas and was exposed to cowboy songs and frontier songs growing up in the area were he lived. He later attended University of Texas at Austin where he majored in  English Literature and later on went off to collect ballads of cowboys after he graduated.  He spent many years out south and west collecting ballads of the cowboys and of the frontiersmen. An anthology of his collected data entitled Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads was later written after his years in the field.

Who were the cowboys of which Lomax put so much time and effort into studying? When the thought of a cowboy comes to most peoples minds an imagine of the typical romanticized man is imagined. In reality these people were "...illiterate people, and people cut off from news papers and books, isolated and lonely" (Lomax xvii), not really the typical image that comes to mind. The were rough and rugged men that lived "...in the canons of the Rocky Mountains, among the mining camps of Nevada and Montana, and on the remote cattle ranges of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona" (Lomax xvii). They were lonely men living and working in the rough conditions of the land they lived on. They worked laborious jobs of miner, rangers, and desolate cattlemen. They lived out in the the open fields of the west, the cold Rockies of Colorado, and out in the scorching deserts of New Mexico and Arizona.

Most of their time was consumed with their work of mining and ranching, but between they were "...thrown back on primal resources for entertainment and for the expression of emotion they utter to themselves to somewhat the same character of songs as did their forefathers of perhaps one thousand years ago" (Lomax xvii).  They sang songs of that evoke their inner emotions and struggles of lonesomeness tied in with the struggle of the work they did. These songs held similar to old Anglo-Saxon ballads of their ancestors and Lomax found the connection between the two. He would reference these ballads to great epics such as Beowulf and classic Anglo stories such as Sir Galahad and King Arthur. He made these connection because he found that these ballads of these rugged men out west of North America correlated to these stories and with Anglo-Saxon music and litterateur. Lomax was a English Literary Major and study in great depth of such English works and he was able to connect the dots between the two.


John Lomax study the cowboys and frontiersmen of the North American and was able to construct an anthology of all the ballads he collected over the years of study out in the field. The vision of  the romanticized cowboys that we invasion in out head greatly differed from that of the reality. These men worked hard out in the rough terrain of the land on which they lived on. When the time came when they were not working they would sing songs in the camps where they lived that express their lonesomeness and emotional struggle of working out in the land. John Lomax was able to find the correlation between the ballads of the rugged cowboys and that of the Anglo-Saxon ballads and literature.


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Out In The Field!

The foundation of ethnomusicology is going out into the real world to collect data from the folk in their land. There are a variety of ways to go about fieldwork ranging from recording music with a tape recorder to writing down notes during an interview with a musician. Like any procedure,there are rules and advice that should be taken into consideration  when doing fieldwork. These rules consist of ways to go about interview a musician or how ethics come into play when collecting data.

Say that you are a new ethnomusicologist studying a present-day culture such as Caribbean immigrants living Brockton, Mass, what sort of guide lines should you follow to carry out the process of collecting data.

• First off before you go into the real world you have to study of Caribbean culture and their music. Learn Popular songs and singers, what instruments are used, where,when, and how  the music used. and of course listen to the music learn what it sound like.
• Remember that "fieldwork involves asking the right questions to the right people" (Lornell 75), in other words talk to the native Caribbean folk that are devoted to their music and have strong knowledge in it. Also be sure to prepare question but do not be confined to them, use them as guide posts to lead you to asking the kind of question that interest you and goes in depth into your topic. 
• In regards to ethics, be sure to introduce your self to the Caribbean immigrants and what your purpose for being their is. If you want to record something with a tape recorder or video tape, watch a performance/ ceremonies, or use the information that is given to you. Asking permission shows respect for the folk and their music. 
• Take into consideration that some songs or that the music in general can be considered to be sacred to the folk and must be respected. If you record a song or a ceremony be sure to tell the musicians what you will be using it for and if you have permission to do so. You work your desire and the wishes of the folk to come up with a mutual agreement of the recorded information and music. 
• When collect your data and recordings you can persevere it in a music library to be "maintained to preserve scholarly integrity" (Lornell 77). The other option is to take your data and publish it or take your recordings to and makes copies to release into the public. Whatever the choice maybe be you must be ethical about your approach by asking permission of the folk of what you can do with it. 
• Remember that "fieldwork requires innovation, exploration, and a sense of carpe diem" (Lornell 80) don't be afraid to go into the unknown and drive you're curiosity but retain a respect to the folk and the music. Their will be be bumps in the process but work around the quarrels to acquire the data that you desire. 

These are some basic guidelines to follow when carrying not just these particular folk, but to any folk you wish to study. 

I will be conducting my own research project in which I will be studying the role music plays in religion, The elements of fieldwork that would in my favor for this study would be interviewing and recording. Interviewing would be useful for discussing the use of music in religion with preachers, pastors, choir member, and worship band members. The recording will be useful to tape record songs and services to used to compare one service to another churches service o find any correlation .

Fieldwork is essential to ethnomuiscology. It allows for ethnomuiscologist to collect real world data that is not just found within a page. You are able to discover things that can not be found in any book, you can find data that is genuine and that is not tainted with the perspective of scholars who write the books that ethnomusicologist study from.  

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The Africian American role In the American folk Music World

 In folk music there is not just one set of folk, there are many folk ranging from all races and living all around the world. The folk in this cause are African Americans who were forcefully brought over from Africa to America by slave traders. These folk when brought to America lived in the southern region in states such as Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia,and North Carolina. With them they brought their folkways from the mother land of Africa which was greatly based on music. This form of music that they brought with them was fused with  Anglo-American music and  themes to their music that  expressed the struggled they faced as a folk. Their music in the per-twentieth century can be categorized into two distinct groups Gospel and secular folk music each having their own subsets and particular sounds. In the African American community there was a "...need for social cohesiveness and leadership that was particularly pressing...during the decades of legalized slavery" (Lornell 143). One thing common between these two categories, both of them brought a sense a community to a people that had been oppressed and continued to be oppressed b their white counter parts. The music brought a sense of belonging between a people that had been neglected and morally abused. It allowed them to evoke inner emotion of turmoil and struggle in a land where they were not wanted.

Religious music has a "...clear stronghold for traditional music in the African American community" (Lornell 143). Not only did the church allow for them to congregate for a common belief in God, it also was a place that "...served as social services networks, rallying points for civil rights, and public spokes persons" (Lornell 143). While such social gathers were held music was a way to express social problems, their religious belief, and as a means of cultural unity. The integration of African Americans churches in American was sparked off by the fire of the Second Great Awakening (1790-1830). Camp meetings would be held in which large crowds would attend (black and white) to hear sermons that would last days. The Africans Americans in attendance would stay up through the night and sing, it provided them with a "...forum for experimentation not previously available to them..." (Lornell 145). These singers eventually began to "...to shift their singing away from camp meeting hymns" (Lornell 142) to form their own churches and write their own songs of belief. Spirituals are one form of African American Gospel music, they are often "...characterized as sad or even sorrowful" (Lornell 149). They are often "...performed by a small group that accompanied and supported its leader" (Lornell 149) and were typically call and response while written in four part harmonies. A ring shout is "...one of the earliest forms of African American religious practice" which "...combines physical movement with song" (Lornell 150).  It is "...reminiscent of some West African religious ceremonies and African folk culture" (Lornell 150) and participants communicate through spontaneous movement and singing.  Both men and women use body percussion while accompanied by a band of clappers, hand drums, and tambourines. These subsets of African American Gospel have been influenced by American music and that of their ancestral  heritage while having their sounds and styles.
Gospel music was not the only foundation of African American music, "...slavery's legacy left so many Africa American in rural southern areas, most of this music originated in the South" (Lornell 171) which formed African American secular folk music. This category of African American music gave birth to such genres of music as jazz, blues, ragtime and consisted of simplistic genre such as work songs. Work songs are songs performed by works to help them carry out their mundane  and monotonous tasks. They were domain of African American laborers out working in the fields. It consisted of unison singing or call and response and they were  "... based on secular themes, often escape or freedom of movement" (Lornell 172).  Songs like these brought together laborers and gave them an outlet of hope and monetary joy to the community. Down home blues was also used as an outlet for African Americans to cope with the moral struggles of the Jim Crows of the segregated South and the activity of white supremacists groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Guitars were greatly used in blues music including Bottleneck blues guitar which could imitate the voice of a singer, They were played with the"... primary cords of I, IV, and V" (Lornell 189). Even though Gospel music was the corner stone of African American music Secular folk music was one of the powerful and diverse category of African American music.
From these two distinct categories of African American music, you learn that that the African American folk were greatly influenced from their American surrounds and the African heritage. From this stems a large range of diverse music that spread through America while also influence American music as a whole. Other cultures that have come to America such as Irish and German immigrants have similar distinctions in American by diffusion their folkways into the American folk stream. African American culture have been a huge influence on American folk by incorporating racial struggles, American influence and African heritage into their works.

1.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiug6YBIPskZtOXrNDLTHA0U0i6_v6q9bX-PdnOWuqCxz4mSs5gMPTHjrip2hjVSLrtS2nrUcYmAcxUEEg8oQeiLEajhjpgzlq5v8MIFzbPe126-MkcAB_IQ8pXJ13j0owceL9-Nlmfb5ds/s640/f+Harper's+Weekly+(April+13,+1861),+p_232_.jpg

2.http://indianapublicmedia.org/arts/files/2010/05/AACE-940x633.jpg

3.http://www.learnclassicalguitar.com/images/three-folk-musicians.jpg

( URL's in order of pictures top to botom)

"Intellectual Intervention" in Folk Music

The "...folk themselves did not tend to study, analyze, and publish their musical folkways" (Slobin 51) the "simple" folk have always played their music with no real thought of really looking into it. But why would intellectuals (the scholars, artists, thinkers, writers, and other upper class people) want to have any part in the music of the simple folk? There was reasoning behind why they wanted to venture in to that land.  It started in the nineteenth century and it all had to do with "...two main trends...identity-seeking and institution building..."(Slobin 51).    2.

Modernism "... disrupted and reorganized Euro- American life...made peasants into proletarians, and raised the bourgeoisie above the aristocrats". While all of this shifting was taking place in the modern world the "...small, educated, and artistic elite scrambled to find new identities" (Slobin 51) , their places where no longer required in society and they needed a new way concentrate their skills. The standard of modern living brought with it the advancement of science and technology, which caused the "passions" (scholars, artists, writers) to turn to the countryside as a place for "...personal and group grounding...". The "...composers whipped out their notebooks to catch local tunes they could weave in their works. Scholars searched for origins of modern languages in antique song texts, and writers turned folk song into high-culture poetry..." (Slobin 52), which explains the term "intellectual intervention". The intellectuals of society needed a way of identity and they used the folks music as an outlet to use their skills in modern society. From there sparked the fire of ethnomusicology. Focusing on the folks way of life and language was another instance of intellectual intervention without music.

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But with the study of the simple folk from the perspective of the intellectuals, there are bound to be misinterpretations and bias.  As culturalist  Olive Dame Campbell once advocated, with any study of a people it  "involves presumptions and judgement about the worth of disparate cultural systems' (Campbell 126). No matter who you are studying you are always going to have images and presumption of a cultural would could cause you to be bias on the data that you collect. An example of this is when Campbell (who was from New England) held has an image of what southerns were like when she went down to the Appalachian with her husband to study the people. She passed judgment on the southern folks tobacco chewing ways. The way Olive Campbell and Cecil J. Sharp (ethnomusicologist that study the folk of the Appalachians) shared somewhat similar attitudes of ethnomusicologist Frances Densmore in regard to the fact that they all did pass judgment on what they studied (The Sioux for Densmore and the Appalachians Folk for Campbell and Sharp), They did not let the folkway speak for it self, instead they put themselves into their data therefore causing the data to be "tainted. 
Intellectual intervention brought folk music into the lime light of modern society.No longer did the music of the folk stay with the simple folk, it was brought before the modern world. Intellectuals jumped on to the folkways of the common people to gain a new identity when they lost theirs with the shifting of social systems.


1. https://www.folkschool.org/BrasstownCarvers/images/justOlive_small.jpg
2. http://janeaustensworld.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/20-lavish-lifestyle.jpg
3. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/HatfieldClan.jpg

The Native Americans way of Music

Before Christopher Columbus step foot on the New World, natives how had migrated down from Asia through Alaska had settled the "new" land. With them they brought their way of life and one of the biggest aspects of their way was their music. Music was vital to their culture and it was closely tied to myth and religion. The majority of tribes music was an essential ingredient in regards to their ceremonies such as rite of passage and worship. It was believed that spirits transferred knowledge and special power to humans by teaching them song. Songs could be used in almost any part of life from curing the sick or asking the spirits for help in providing water or food.  Music is woven into the fabric of Native culture in any area of the country whether it be the natives from the Plains or the Great Basin.                                                                                            1.


Of course where there is music there are ethnomusicologist to study it, and such study of Native music began in the late nineteenth century when sound recording was available to document. There are different forms in which this music is archival, some have written books while other have posted it on to a website. Author Kip Lornell published a book entitled Exploring American Folk Music in which he talks about Native American Music, there is also a web page on Wikipedia on the subject. Both of these forms of documentation cover broad areas of the Native music such as describing hat the music is "...closely tied to myth and religion" (Lornell 211) and that it "...is traditionally said to originate from deities or spirits" (Wikipedia Par. 5). They both go on to talk about how Native use vocables "...or lexically meaningless syllables, are a common part of many kinds Native American songs" (Wikipedia Par 4) an that they "..consist of short syllables like he, wi, or yo" (Lornell 215).
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But of course there are significant difference between the two documents, The Wikipedia has a different perception of the role of sexes in songs, it describes men's songs invoke power, the women's songs draw power away from opposing stick ball team" (Wikipedia Par 7). In contrast Lornell describes that "... woman sometimes take leadership roles" but that "...men generally take a leadership position" (Lornell 215). Wikipedia claims that woman had a specific role in songs while Lorenell proclaims that woman occasionally took leadership roles. Lornell goes in grave detail that "people who sing and dance receive this music from the supernatural, as opposed to creating it themselves these impulses come from dream" (Lornell 213). The Wikipedia article merely describes the Natives songs are based on spirits and religious belief. He also details that "...forced migration of tribes permanently altered their musical" (Lornell 210) where as the wiki-article fails to mention it at all. I would consider the Lornell book to be a better form of authentically due to the fact that hard evidence and extensive research that is provided by Lornell.            3.

One of the more well know enthnimusicologists that study Native music was Frances Densmore. She collected of the  music Teton Sioux in South Dakota by means of recording devices to make a vocal documented record. She also took notes and analyzed the patterns, techniques, and styles that she found within the music. I become an enthnomusicologist for the day  and asked people what songs they could sing from memory. I just wrote down there answers while she recorded and mad e her subjects sing to her. She held an attitude of "the singer must never be allowed to think that he is in charge of the work" (Slobin 68). She would only record the best singer and she would depose of recordings that she did not deem worthy to be held on record. She let controlled what she recorded, she did not let the music speak for itself.
Native American music is a pure form of folk music. It is of the people and it is about there beliefs and ways of life. It is the basis of what folk music is, about people and their way of life.
Here is a link to a video f the oldest video of Native Drumming it includes Ghost Dance and dances of the Sioux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igmpvrRQIkI

1.http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DYvNAHByKPM/0.jpg
2.http://bastienzara.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/a0316v.jpg?w=368&h=289
3.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VtHWQLGav5VK7LDRCUqPitQMNICxr3ZKu1de_HRBvzf0iLqsdQdeS_OtWR3mrVWZazCHjBI352dWEODkvf1uJxY_2rc8paVuILnrrxha6xnC4mjh_2gfR4NCnoYlNPLZpDpefhNDy0DO/s320/Drums.bmp

Ethnomusicology and the part it plays in Folk Music

Ethnomusicology may not be a social science you are aware of (unless you're a professional musician, Music Professor, or an enthnomusicologist) but it study of music of different cultures especially non-western ones. Much like a cultural anthropologist (who studies cultures in general), ethnomusicologist study the way people use music and its significant to peoples lives. Folk music is a form of expressive culture and can be found in any society or culture. Therefore ethnomusicologist study a great deal of folk music, because to be honest any form of music could be considered folk music due to the fact that folk fact that it can take any form and adapts from generation to generation. Enthomusicologists goal is to collect musical data from other cultures and to share such data with others.  3.
Now in an age where anything can be found and viewed with the touch of a finger, such data and be shared over the eyes of the internet. The internet can be used as a means of dissemination of cultural folk music while also be used as a archival to store such information. It can be a light unto those who could be in the dark of little understanding of cultural objects. But ethnomusicologist (and others documenting about cultural object such as music) has the obstacle of respect to face. One must respect the values that folk music may hold for a people. Such music can be considered sacred and should not be exploited due to the fear that those who are not deemed worthy to listen may listen. Displaying such information can rise some issues and concerns for the folk whose music holds sacred meaning to them.

Even though such information may be fascinating to read and study, one must keep in mind that not all music can be present out of respect of the folk and their music. We are also in an era where anybody can be enthomusicologist with the press of the record or camera button on their phones. People often feel free to capture  any public (or private)  performance, ceremony, or event then of course from there up load it onto the old YouTube and Facebook machine. Is such displaying a positive act or a negative one? It is positive that people hold an interest in others people folk ways, but like I said prior you have to keep in mind that you must be "...sensitive and sophisticated in the ways that..." you "...gathered, interpreted, and analysed..." from what you hear "...among unfamiliar populations" (Slobin 70).
                                                                                                            2. (David McAllester)
David McAllester, enthnomusciologist who worked with Navajos ritualists, had to work for years too get approval from Frank Mitchell (Navajo ritualists) to film a Blessing ceremony. David had to agree though that when ever he played it Frank had to be in the room. Therefore people must obtain this high standard of respect towards folk and their music or folkways because such thing can hold great meaning.
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When ethnomuicologist collect data they tend to record what they hear, so what effect does recording have on folk music and our understanding of it? When ethnomusicologist first started collecting data in the early 20th century, the folk they recorded "... had mixed reactions to this mechanical incursion. Some saw it "...as a magical form of robbery...of custom" (Slobin 67). It can seem as though something is lost from the music and contort our understanding of the music because we are not there to grasp the true density of it. Then question such as authority, ownership, and authenticity arise when folk music is recorded. How has the right to deem what is worthy to recorded or edit out, who has true ownership of the music; the recorded or the musician?,is the recording truly authentic since it is not experience first hand? Well  nobody has the right to deem what is worthy to record it or own it because it is something that can't be captured and boxed because the music holds its own. In regards to authenticity, nothing is authentic unless it's experienced first hand recordings are sometimes the closest people will get to the real thing.
Enthomusicologist study the idea of "music culture" which is how music touch aspects of our life such as religion, art, or politics. Music dose touch at least one aspect in our lives, for me it is religion. I am a baptist and in my church we sing songs of worship. It is a form of communication we use to relay our belief to one another so that we can share our expression of belief.
All in all, one music respect the customs of folk and their music like enthomusicologist. also that music touches at least one aspect of lives whether it be religion or some other form.

Here's a link for those who'd like a direct meaning of ethnomusicology... http://degreedirectory.org/multimedia/What_is_Ethnomusicology_-_Video.html

1.http://www.indie-music.com/ee/themes/site_themes/dailyedition/images/uploads/ethnomusicology.jpg
2. http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~rgarfias/photos/symposium-1963/England1_000.jpeg
3.http://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/u63/gambuh_ensemblemcphee197506_04_l0152_k.jpg

What is this thing we call Folk music?

What is folk music? Such music is not discussed or regarded much with this generation of adolescent music lovers. In a musical age that breeds of music produced by technology in a studio, the cognizance of folk music to the adolescent music listener is elderly folks playing the banjo out in the woods of the south. But what is it really? There are so many perception of it, but one thing that can be agreed upon is that folk music is that the concept of it is "...a living tradition, and that it's all about all the stuff that is happening around you" ( 9 Dunaway /Beer). It has been handed down from generation to generation taking new from as it travels into a new set of hands.   1.

The foundation of the music is part of  expressive culture that has been used since the time of our ancestors. It is a form of articulation, it allowed for people to evoke emotions beliefs, hopes, love, and in our ancestors times; a way to state they new their place in society. it can take the form of a woman of an African tribe teaching her children songs while they worked, to sports fanatics chanting rhythmically to their favorite team (Slobin), or a rambling man singing songs of life by the campfire. Folk music is of the folk, it is forged by the people of the land and take any shape. Everyone can sing in some way, therefore there are folk singers everywhere (Slobin), we are our all folk singers but the singers that an intoxicating voice are the ones that draw groups together for the  is aesthetically pleasing to the ear. The beautiful noise "...enters the ear as complex sound patterns, then turns into emotion and meaning in the brain" (13 Slobin), folk music (with any music) to the power to fly over barriers that divide one group from another. Folk music is more than just notes on a sheet of paper or the strumming of a guitar, it is words that are held "...in the moisture of the breath that carries them" (5 Slobin). It is of the folk and it is continually changing like the people that make it, it is purely the expression of the people and can not be categorized into one way or genre, nor can it be defined in one way because it is held in the perspective minds of the folk.     2.


It is tradition, and such tradition is passed down by word of mouth creating an oral history. Oral history can hold great value in regards to the information is genuine, it is not of a text book or of one person. As the information is put into another hands more is added to it and new interpretation can be used, Therefore the information is  genuine like the folk music itself, But alas the down side of containing information is that it can be misconstrued or even misinterpreted cause the information to be tainted for the next set of hands to hold it.   3.
One must keep in mind with "...all historical sources should be treated with equal skepticism. Such skepticism should also be turned on themselves as interviewer". In others words, you take all information that is given to you as it is and have your perspective of it and you should be open to all perspective. You must also expect that your interpretation should be and that other will be skeptical of your interpretation of the music.But you must see other peoples perceptive of the music in order to amplify your understanding. Folk music is express and in held in different perspectives of different folks of the land.

1.  http://www.bluesworld.com/fa29534.jpgsound
2. http://www.noorculturalcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/arabic-folk-music-main.jpg
3. http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02256/folk-music_2256313b.jpg