http://alturl.com/jnnr Listen to a documentary on Smithsonian Folkways artist Lead Belly on BBC iRadio. The documentary features Folkways Jeff Place, Arlo Guthrie, music producer Niles Rodgers, and more. Find Lead Belly original recordings at http://alturl.com/vjhj and share your own Lead Belly favorites with us.

Smithsonian Folkways

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50 Years: Where Do You Come From? Where Do You Go?, a three-disc box set from The New Lost City Ramblers, is now available from Smithsonian Folkways. The box set commemorates five decades of contributions from a group whose reverence for and dedication to the genius of the American folk music tradition put them at the vanguard of the folk revival… Continue

Smithsonian Folkways remembers guitar master and innovator Les Paul, who died last week. The legendary musician, whose signature solid-body electric guitar and numerous recording studio innovations have forever changed popular music, performed on two Smithsonian Folkways recordings during the late 1940s. He leads a band through the improvised Jazz at the Philharmonic- Blues, Part 3 from the 1966 release The Asch Recordings, 1939 to 1947 - Vol. 1: Blues, Gospel, and Jazz… Continue

August 8, 2009

Smithsonian Folkways remembers traditional music preserver, performer, and teacher Mike Seeger (1933-2009)



"Old-time rural music remains at the center of my life. It's a tactile, emotional, aural pleasure — the words are my Shakespeare and my mysteries, the music is my Bach, my pastime, and it makes me want to dance...Classic, timeless qualities in this music endure. For me, there ain't no way out but nature, and I'll make the most of it."

-Mike Seeger (from… Continue