Iris DeMent was one of the most distinctive voices in the 1990s—a lyricist who inspired John Prine to write the liner notes for her 1992 debut album and a vocalist who inspired Merle Haggard to say, ...

In its essence, folk music is music for the people — an art form inextricably intertwined with the soul of a region. Its nature is inherently visual, conjuring vivid imagery with just a single ...

Vatican II allowed the presence of “the music of the people” at Mass. Folk music, the music that is indigenous to each of the various nations of the world and to the ethnic cultures found within those ...

The world of music is constantly changing. Genres such as folk-pop, indie-folk, and country music are currently experiencing a real cultural hype. The folk-pop scene in particular seems to be gaining ...

In 1937, Odetta Felious Holmes moved from Birmingham, Alabama, to Los Angeles. Only six, she was already bigger than the other kids when she arrived in East Hollywood with her mother, Flora, and her ...

Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares stories of memorable rock ‘n’ roll encounters that took place in our local environs.This week, a look back at some timeless troubadours. Last week ...

For more than six decades, the University of Chicago Folk Festival has brought together an array of musicians and performers from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds—all united through a love for ...