Folk Rock Music History

Folk rock music history is a rich part of many cultures around the world. Because it parented many other styles, folk music is responsible for some of the greatest compositions of all time.

Folk music's history comes from thousands of years of traditional folk music. These songs were transmitted from generation to generation through repetition and practice, not sheet music. The musicians who created traditional folk songs were often completely untrained and usually members of the middle to lower class. Because of this, folk wasn't considered serious music, but more of a simple form of entertainment. This is also where the term "folk" music comes from, because it is the music of "everyday folks."

Since there was no written sheet music, songs would inevitably change as they were passed on. Many songs ended up existing in several forms. Ballads, such as "Barbara Allen," were mostly based on murders, broken hearts and tragedies. In addition to ballads, there were also lullabies, nursery rhyme songs, holiday songs and marching songs.

Folk instrumentation varies between locations. American folk music relies heavily on banjos, guitars, autoharps, harmonicas, fiddles and washboards, while European folk music feartures clarinets, mandolins and bagpipes. Asian folk music includes flutes, gongs and lutes. South American folk music is played with accordions, marimbas and saxophones. African folk music utilizes panpipes, guitars and djembe drums.

The Great Depression introduced an extremely influential time for folk music. The poor state of the nation made many people turn to music as an outlet for their frustration and sorrow. Interest in folk music picked up again when the song "Goodnight, Irene" was performed by Pete Seeger and The Weavers in 1949. Although it was a cover of the original Lead Belly song, it was a huge hit. Today, it is considered to be the starting point for the folk music revival.

At this time, folk music was only popular in exclusively bohemian areas in locations such as Greenwich Village and college campuses. After "Goodnight, Irene," however, acoustic-folk rock became more appreciated and was often played at coffee houses, political events and outdoor concerts.  Touring folk musicians of the revival would tour at coffee houses instead of bars or clubs.  

Thanks to the singer-songwriters of the folk music revival, American folk rock has been influential to music written all over the world. While it is not the most popular genre of music, it is highly regarded because it inspired rock -n roll, indie and acoustic music.