100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own

Dick Weissman

In recent years an almost overwhelming number of books have appeared covering various aspects of American folk music and its history. Before 1970, most comprised collections of songs with a sprinkling of biographical information on noted performers. Over the past decade, however, scholars, journalists, and folk artists themselves have contributed biographies and autobiographies, instructional books and historical surveys, sociological studies and ethnographic analyses of this musical genre.

In 100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own, performer and historian Dick Weissman offers a reliable route through the growing sea of book-length studies, establishing for future scholars a foundation for their research. Beginning with early twentieth-century collections of folk songs, the author brings readers to the present by exploring modern studies of important events, critical collections of primary sources, the most significant musical instruction guides, and in-depth portraits of traditional and contemporary American folk musicians. For each title selected, Weissman provides his own brief summary of its contents and assessment of its significance for the reader—whether fan or scholar.

Folk music fans, scholars, and students of the American folk music tradition—indeed, any reader seeking guidance on the best books in the field—will want a copy of this vital work.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 210 • Trim: 6½ x 9¼

978-0-8108-8234-8 • Hardback • January 2014 • $54.00 • (£42.00)

978-0-8108-8666-7 • eBook • January 2014 • $48.50 • (£37.00)

Series: Best Music Books

Subjects: Music / Genres & Styles / Folk & Traditional, Music / History & Criticism

100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own

Hardback

eBook

Summary

In recent years an almost overwhelming number of books have appeared covering various aspects of American folk music and its history. Before 1970, most comprised collections of songs with a sprinkling of biographical information on noted performers. Over the past decade, however, scholars, journalists, and folk artists themselves have contributed biographies and autobiographies, instructional books and historical surveys, sociological studies and ethnographic analyses of this musical genre.

In 100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own, performer and historian Dick Weissman offers a reliable route through the growing sea of book-length studies, establishing for future scholars a foundation for their research. Beginning with early twentieth-century collections of folk songs, the author brings readers to the present by exploring modern studies of important events, critical collections of primary sources, the most significant musical instruction guides, and in-depth portraits of traditional and contemporary American folk musicians. For each title selected, Weissman provides his own brief summary of its contents and assessment of its significance for the reader—whether fan or scholar.

Folk music fans, scholars, and students of the American folk music tradition—indeed, any reader seeking guidance on the best books in the field—will want a copy of this vital work.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 210 • Trim: 6½ x 9¼

978-0-8108-8234-8 • Hardback • January 2014 • $54.00 • (£42.00)

978-0-8108-8666-7 • eBook • January 2014 • $48.50 • (£37.00)

Series: Best Music Books

Subjects: Music / Genres & Styles / Folk & Traditional, Music / History & Criticism

Author

Dick Weissman is associate professor emeritus in the music and entertainment industry program at the University of Colorado at Denver. A musician, composer, and former member of the folk revival trio The Journeymen, he has authored and edited numerous books about music and the music industry, including Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution: Music and Social Change in America (2010), Understanding the Music Business (2009), and Which Side Are You On? An Inside History of the Folk Music Revival in America (2006).

Table of Contents

The 100 Books (and Then Some)
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Historical Surveys
Biographies and Autobiographies
Songbooks and Folksong Collections
American Indians
The Immigrants
Spanish Language Music in America
African-American Music
Anglo-American Songs
Black And White
Politics, Protest and Workers’ Songs, and The Folk Song Revival
Miscellaneous: A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That
Folk Rock and Freak Folk
The Business of Folk
Folk Instruments and Instructional Materials
Banjo
Dulcimer
Fiddle and Mandolin
Guitar
Harmonica
Instrumental Collections
Appendix: A Baker’s Dozen of the next to the Best
About the Author

Reviews

An abundant supply of 'best-of' lists for songs, albums, and musical acts of various genres exists. However, there is a relative dearth of resources to guide music lovers to books about quality recordings. As part of the Best Books in Music series, scholar and musician Weissman helps to rectify this situation for fans of American folk music. Divided by chapter into such helpful subcategories as 'Biographies and Autobiographies,' 'The Immigrants,' and 'Anglo-American Songs,' the 100 (113, actually) entries include plainly written and richly detailed descriptions and critiques of each book. Weissman’s passion for his subject is clearly evident in this guide, which will be appreciated by folk-music aficionados. This would be a good choice for circulating collections.
— Booklist

In 100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own, Dick Weissman provides an expansive collection, in list form, of scholarly books on various folk musics and their subgenres. . . . This book would be helpful for scholars, musicians, and music fans new to the American folk music genre. Especially for those with an interest in the history of American folk music, Weissman’s collection of books here serves as a solid springboard for researchers casting a wide net with the hopes of finding a list of carefully vetted works. This book might also prove useful in undergraduate courses intended to be an introduction to American folk music or American music history.
— Journal of Folklore Research

100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own

Dick Weissman

100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own

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