Folk Music Evolution in the United States

Conclusion

Folk music exists in its own liminal space. It can be anything a musician wants it to be and, at the same time, maintain its core despite the passage of centuries, despite crossing oceans and continents. The way we do music, specifically song writing, has changed drastically just within the last century. Music used to be a collective, social endeavor that people participated in together. And it still is in some cases: church hymns and Irish sessions.

The majority of music now is treated as commodity, only created by those with this nebulous thing called talent, when stardom is usually just a matter of luck and knowing the right people. Singing wasn't always about skill, just something people could do together. Now, songs are owned by the individuals who started them instead of by the people who know them.

As far as being a part of history, music is alive in a way that buildings and artifacts aren't. These songs need people to keep singing them if they're to stick around any longer. The purpose of this project isn't to stick them in place like bugs in amber, but to pass them on and help them stay alive.

We hope you go out and sing.

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