by Marcus Brooks

Created on: July 25, 2007

Since the creation of our country, folk music has been around. Like our customs, our traditions, our architecture and our brand of government; folk music was imported here and Americans made it their own. European immigrants brought different kinds of folk music. They carried their acoustic guitars, accordions, fiddles, violins, harps and harmonicas. They composed music on the kinds of lives they were living at the time. Some folk songs talked about toiling in the fields. Some folk songs talked about adventures on the road. Some folk songs begged to their Lord for answers. Some folk songs spoke of heartache and tragedy. Other folk songs talked about wanting their dreams fulfilled and relief from their suffering.

The Irish people brought their horrors of potato famines. They described living under English and Welsh oppression. They twanged their dreams on banjos. They pounded away frustrations on upside down buckets. They blew inside hand-crafted, humongous jugs.

Slavic-born gypsies danced and pranced around crackling fire pits. Fiddlers played throughout the night in celebration. Drinking, cavorting and laughter ran rampant about the covered wagons.

German emigrants gulped down on homemade beer. They cracked overflowing mugs with brethen as amorous ladies kicked their legs high in dance. Nightly festivals started impromptu with overwhelming feasts of the morning's hunt.

African slaves gathered in the plantation fields. They sang spirituals and hymns through their learned English. They gave praise to God, Jesus and Holy Spirit. They praised and thanked, even though their lives were immersed with tragedy.

Folk music embodied human emotion, nature and spirit, dreams and desires. Folk music made people cry. Folk music dreamed of good times. Folk music mourned when someone had died. Folk music talked about physical and emotional pain. Folk music asked about the dreams that could be gained. Folk music was the verbal tapestry of our history. It has continued to weave a beautiful quilt even today.

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