PBS
Pbs: American Roots Music: Historical Background
What is American roots music? The term "American roots music" may not be a familiar one, and requires some explanation. At the beginning of the 20th Century, the term "folk music" was used by scholars to describe music made by whites of...
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Joni Mitchell
This is an excellent resource covering the life and musical career of Joni Mitchell. Be sure to check out the interactive timeline.
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: Who Were the Cowboys Behind 'Cowboy Songs'?
This article and audio report [9:05] covers the origins of American cowboy folk songs. Uses popups. Also includes a brief video clip of a 19th century folk song being performed.
PBS
Pbs: Archives of the West: Songs of the Plains a Selection of Cowboy Folk Songs
Explore the lyrics of five cowboy songs from 1860's and 1870's.
Contemplator
Popular Songs in American History: Ben Bolt: 19th Century Folk Song
This site contains the lyrics to a popular nineteenth century folk song. A MIDI file of the song is also available to download.
![Broward Education Foundation: Creative Canjos [Pdf] Lesson Plan](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Broward Education Foundation: Creative Canjos [Pdf] Lesson Plan")
Broward Education Foundation
Broward Education Foundation: Creative Canjos [Pdf]
Creative Canjos is an interdisciplinary unit that teaches American History through Folk Art and Folk Music. The students began the project in Art class. They were introduced to American Folk Art through a teacher made iMovie. The iMovie...
PBS
Mpr: The Meaning of Sioux Music and Song
This site from the Minnesota Public Radio provides the text of a 1915 article written by musician and self-trained anthropologist, Frances Densmore. Densmore spent years studying the music and culture of the Teton Sioux and other native...
University of Pittsburgh
Center for American Music Stephen Foster's Career
This University of Pittsburgh site provides a wealth of information about American songwriter Stephen Foster. This link discusses his professional career with various other links within the text about minstrel shows, etc. Return to the...
Library of Congress
Loc: Southern Mosaic
This site, from the Library of Congress, provides a recording project by the WPA during the Depression Era of folk music collected throughout the southern states of the U.S. Supplemented by photos and other material to document life...
PBS
Pbs: Sweet Old Song (The Music of Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong)
Learn about and listen to jazz, blues, folk, and country musician Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong and his roots in America's musical past. "Sweet Old Song" tells the story of the music and art partnership between Armstrong and his...
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Bob Dylan
The companion website of a film documentary directed by Martin Scorsese about the life and music of Bob Dylan. Understand Dylan's career and the impact of his music on the politics of the time, his influences, and his many musical...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Music of the United States
Very thorough resource for music in the United States. History, genres, and references can be found on this site. Includes sample audio recordings.
Other
Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives
The consummate resource for extensive information about folk singer Woody Guthrie. Includes a great biography with photos and quotes plus publications, special projects, and events.
Library of Congress
Loc: America Singing: Nineteenth Century Song Sheets
Song sheets, which containedonly lyrics, were a popular form of printed music. The Library of Congress holds over 4,000 of these from the 1800s that can be viewed online.
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Blues Music: Overview
Overview and definition of blues music that developed in the southern United States in the early nineteenth century. Performers from Georgia include Ray Charles, Ma Rainey, Little Richard, and the Allman Brothers.
Contemplator
Popular Songs in American History: Rosalie, the Prairie Flower
This page presents the lyrics to a famous folk song of the nineteenth century.
Library of Congress
Loc: Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande
Collection of online resources on the Hispanic arts and culture of the Southwestern United States. Exhibits include essays, audio files, and links to related sites.
Other
Stephen Collins Foster: American Dreams
This site provides a wealth of information about the American songwriter, Stephen Foster. This link leads you to the biographical information which is divided into five sections: beginnings, his life's work, the legend, the problems, and...
Library of Congress
Loc: Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier
At this site from the Library of Congress, you can listen to an 82-year-old Virginia fiddler, Henry Reed, playing tunes recorded in the 1960's. Many of the tunes have been transcribed and the notation can be viewed on line as well. The...
Contemplator
The Contemplator's: I've Been Working on the Railroad
This site offers complete lyrics with a bit of history on this American folk song.
PBS
Pbs: American Roots Music: Episode Summaries
This site provides summaries for each of the four episodes: Episode One: When First Unto This Country, Episode Two: This Land is Your Land, Episode Three: The Times They are A-Changin', and Episode Four: All My Children of the Sun.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Paul Simon
Along with Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon was part of one of the most popular bands of the 1960's. Still popular today, read about his career in this biography from PBS.
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania: Seeger, Pete
The University of Pennsylvania provides a brief biography of American folk icon, Pete Seeger. The biography focuses on Seeger's political stance as well as his music, since the two are so often intertwined. Article is by Richard Taskin,...
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame: Woody Guthrie
Learn about American songwriter Woody Guthrie. This resource features a biography, a discography, and a photo gallery.