What is folk music? There are so many possible answers to that question, it’s almost impossible to offer anything up without someone wanting to shoot it down again. In the course of our research, however, we’ve come across a few great explanations.
First of all, we should note that we’re interested in traditional music, where it comes from, how it evolves and where it might be going. So this is what we refer to when we speak about ‘folk music’ on this website, rather than songs from the singer-songwriter world where traditional music may not have a direct influence.
Over the years, we’ve interviewed a number of people about traditional folk songs for this website and for The Old Songs Podcast, and we’ve often asked the eternal question – What is folk music? – to see if I could get to the bottom of things. Here’s how some of them answered.
What is folk music? A few answers to the eternal question…
“The definition of folk music? It’s sex and death, with a few funny bits in between!” – Rosie Hood.
“Folk music is music that accompanies a raffle. There’s no better definition of it than that!” – Martin Simpson.
“We’ve got something special here, and it’s reliant on enthusing the next generation to enjoy the music, to reinterpret and reinvigorate it.” – Emily Portman.
“For want of a better word, folk songs are more ‘real’. They don’t deal in clichés or generalities. These songs are specific in their events and emotions.” – Ted Kemp.
“People want these things to be pre-Christian, pagan and mysterious, or some other elemental thing. But that’s irrelevant. It’s not about that. It’s about human performance and human celebration” – Doc Rowe.
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