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...

Specialized site dealing in folk music connected to military history and various wars. Gives audio samples and brief history/bios of songs and singers. Limited but interesting archive site.

Interesting essay page on the influence of minstrel shows on folk music. Provides historical connections and is accessible for research purposes.

This is an article about Nordic folk music and its growing popularity. It profiles two groups called Frifot and Sorten Mud.

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...

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.

Offers comprehensive biographical details on the father of boogie music John Lee Hooker, a 1991 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes an essential songs list.

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.

This site offers dozens of reviews of African recordings, new and re-released. Well-known musicians Zap Mama and Femi Kuti, as well as up and coming ones, are reviewed. Links to individual Web sites and audio files are also featured here.

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,...

In this 9-12 lesson, learners will analyze the positive character traits of heroes as depicted in music, art, and literature. They will gain an understanding of how cultures and societies have produced folk, military, religious,...

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Etta Baker, an American folk musician who influenced the folk music revival of the 1950s and '60s with her mastery of East Coast Piedmont blues, a unique fingerpicking style of...

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bobby McFerrin, an American musician noted for his tremendous vocal control and improvisational ability. He often sang a cappella, mixing folk songs, 1960s rock and soul tunes, and jazz...

Provides the lyrics to the song, "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain".