Compiled in 1990 to accompany a Hemphill Collection exhibit of folk art, this is a perfect sampling of Folkways' cherished children's records: "There Was a Man and He Was Mad," "How I Hunted the... more

From parties to protests to prayer, music is a powerful catalyst for celebration, for change, and for a sense of community. Through making music together, we become bigger than ourselves. Whether... more

22 songs favored by leaders of antiwar, civil rights, industrial labor, farm worker, and other struggles throughout American history. "Jesus Christ" Woody Guthrie, "Blowin' In The Wind," New World... more

These artists formed the blues backbone of Folkways: Big Bill Broonzy (Mule-Ridin' Blues), Leadbelly (Leaving Blues), Rev. Gary Davis (Candy Man), Big Joe Williams (Don't Leave Me Here), Lightnin'... more

Lucinda Williams' take on Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor joins 21 more by these blues titans: Just a Dream Memphis Slim; Jelly Jelly Josh White; Tell Me, Baby Lightnin' Hopkins; When Things Go Wrong... more

Six decades of bending, blowing, wailing blues beauty—20 tracks including eight unissued performances at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Gillum Blues Jazz Gillum; Crow Jane Blues Sonny Terry;... more

Here are 20 classic cuts from the blues kings of the Mississippi Delta, the land where the blues began: "C.C. Rider" Big Bill Broonzy, "Death Letter Blues," "Sun Goin' Down" Son House, "Married Woman... more

From N'awlins to Chicago, here are 20 vintage blues cuts full of famous flying fingers! Includes Hesitation Blues James P. Johnson; No Special Rider Blues Little Brother Montgomery; Pinetop's Boogie... more

Rural and urban, black and white, country and coastal—it all blended together in Piedmont blues. Here's a stellar set of classics in that fascinating blues style: "Mamie" John Cephas and Paul... more

Who could chronicle the history of this great American art form—the train song—better than Smithsonian Folkways? A 36-page booklet rides along with Jay Gould's Daughter Pete Seeger; Wabash Cannonball... more

Here are 27 unforgettable songs that demanded a fair shake: 1913 Massacre Woody Guthrie; Joe Hill Paul Robeson; Casey Jones Pete Seeger; Talking Union Almanac Singers; Black Lung Hazel Dickens; Too... more

Some of these 32 folk songs seem as old as the sea, and all originate from those who were drawn to the pull of the ocean: Haul Away Joe Leadbelly; The Dreadnaught Tom Sullivan; Homeward Bound Stuart... more

The first bluegrass LP ever released, expanded by 16 tracks—43 in all! This banjo classic includes Pig in a Pen; Train 45; Shortening Bread; Chicken Reel; Cripple Creek; Cumberland Gap; Careless... more

People flock to the Big Easy from all over the world to attend Jazz Fest, which arguably expresses the many splendors and enduring vitality of American music better than any other event. A 136-page... more

He might have set out just to be a folk singer, but Seeger emerged as a beloved rebel, a voice of the people, one that would endure and only rise in stature decade after decade. This new... more

These largely unheard recordings were made in '62 in Greenwich Village. Doc's father-in-law, fiddler Gaither Carlton, rarely played outside North Carolina; you can hear the remarkable chemistry and... more

DESCRIPTION::On What Will We Do, Lula Wiles channel infectious energy and bold insight into music that strikes with purpose. The band fosters contradiction, embracing the spirit of traditional... more

This Boston folk trio have made waves in the Americana scene, and are set to expand their acclaim with this new album on Smithsonian Folkways. Even as they sing love songs and tunes that sound like... more

Recorded in '59 (before the height of the folk/blues revival), Hopkins' first acoustic session has since been recognized as an out-and-out blues classic. He's as witty and charming as he is... more

From the swamplands of Louisiana to the prisons of Texas to the streets of New York City, Huddie Ledbetter set out on a mythical journey on his way to becoming an American folk icon along with his... more

A mentor to everyone from Bob Dylan to Suzanne Vega, "The Mayor of MacDougal Street" was a treasured figure in the Greenwich Village scene for four decades. His autobiography and its portrait of the... more

Are there still previously unknown Woody Guthrie treasures to be found? As it turns out, Smithsonian Folkways had some real pastures of plenty in store for us in the year of Guthrie's centenary. For,... more

Barbara forged her own path, singing for peace and justice and refusing to recognize music-biz boundaries between folk, jazz and blues. The 40-page booklet and 150 minutes of music here take us... more

The fleet fingers of this mighty piano man still stun. Here's a 32-page booklet plus 21 solo and group tracks (three unissued): "Joogie Boogie," "San Juan Blues," "Midnight Special," "Just a Dream,"... more