Appalachian Folk Music History

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Appalachian Folk Music History
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What is Folk Music?

• Folk (adj.)-relating to, or originating among the
  common people of a country or region.

• Music-the art of combining tones so that they are
  pleasing, expressive, or intelligible.

• Folk Music-music of and for the common
  
  
  people.

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Folk Music is closely tied to the early settlers
of the region. Each group brought their own
cultural heritage, instruments, and methods of
music making.
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German immigrants brought the sheitholt, an early
form of the Dulcimer
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Scotch-Irish immigrants brought the Fiddle
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African Americans brought the Banjo
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Spanish immigrants brought the Guitar
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Functions such as, barn raising, apple cutting,
molasses making and quilting provided
opportunities for folks to gather, socialize, and
dance and sing into the night. Square dancing
was the most popular form of entertainment and
the fiddle was the instrument most frequently
used to accompany dancing.
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Folk music is learned in the oral and aural
tradition. Instead of being written down in
music notation, songs are learned by imitation or
rote. Each performer adds his/her own
interpretations to the song. A musician may know
hundreds of songs learned by ear and passed
from generation to generation of musicians.
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References

• Folk Music background information courtesy of
  Marshall University College of Fine Arts CD-Rom
  Arts Resources
• Appalachian Region Map courtesy of The Center for
  Appalachian Studies and Services