Folk Music of the 1950’s

On Thursday, September 26 at 1:00 pm, join John Clark for this multimedia presentation. We start by delving into the back story of American folk, including the blues and work song field recordings of John and Alan Lomax and the discovery of transplanted British Isles ballads in the Piedmont region of our country. Not to mention the early 1940s political songs of the Almanac Singers. Folk music’s broader popularity officially began with the early 50s commercial breakthrough of the Weavers who scored big hits with Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie songs. Next came the late Harry Belafonte’s Jamaican Farewell and the calypso pop/folk trend that dominated for the next few years. Then the Kingston Trio hit big in 1958 with Tom Dooley. Finally at the end of the fifties a new star named Joan Baez emerged at the first Newport Folk Festival. Of course, throughout these ten years, many other folk artists appeared who would influence the larger folk revival of the sixties when protest folk finally achieved national popularity. Burl Ives, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, Odetta, Theodore Bikel and Dave van Ronk all played an important part of the story of folk music in the 1950s. This program is generously sponsored by the Newbury of
Brookline.

Please register at 617-730-2770.

Sponsored by The Newbury of Brookline.