Library of Congress
Loc: America Singing: Nineteenth Century Song Sheets
Song sheets, which containedonly lyrics, were a popular form of printed music. The Library of Congress holds over 4,000 of these from the 1800s that can be viewed online.
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Blues Music: Overview
Overview and definition of blues music that developed in the southern United States in the early nineteenth century. Performers from Georgia include Ray Charles, Ma Rainey, Little Richard, and the Allman Brothers.
Contemplator
Popular Songs in American History: Rosalie, the Prairie Flower
This page presents the lyrics to a famous folk song of the nineteenth century.
Library of Congress
Loc: Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande
Collection of online resources on the Hispanic arts and culture of the Southwestern United States. Exhibits include essays, audio files, and links to related sites.
Other
Stephen Collins Foster: American Dreams
This site provides a wealth of information about the American songwriter, Stephen Foster. This link leads you to the biographical information which is divided into five sections: beginnings, his life's work, the legend, the problems, and...
Library of Congress
Loc: Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier
At this site from the Library of Congress, you can listen to an 82-year-old Virginia fiddler, Henry Reed, playing tunes recorded in the 1960's. Many of the tunes have been transcribed and the notation can be viewed on line as well. The...
Contemplator
The Contemplator's: I've Been Working on the Railroad
This site offers complete lyrics with a bit of history on this American folk song.
PBS
Pbs: American Roots Music: Episode Summaries
This site provides summaries for each of the four episodes: Episode One: When First Unto This Country, Episode Two: This Land is Your Land, Episode Three: The Times They are A-Changin', and Episode Four: All My Children of the Sun.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Paul Simon
Along with Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon was part of one of the most popular bands of the 1960's. Still popular today, read about his career in this biography from PBS.
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania: Seeger, Pete
The University of Pennsylvania provides a brief biography of American folk icon, Pete Seeger. The biography focuses on Seeger's political stance as well as his music, since the two are so often intertwined. Article is by Richard Taskin,...
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame: Woody Guthrie
Learn about American songwriter Woody Guthrie. This resource features a biography, a discography, and a photo gallery.
PBS
Pbs: New Perspectives on the West
This in-depth resource presents a history of the American West from pre-Columbian times until World War I with profiles, documents, and images. It encourages visitors to link these into patterns of historical meaning for themselves....
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: Influence of Folk
This site, which explores the influence of musical folk traditions in the poetry of Langston Hughes and Nicolas Guillen, provides lesson plans, a biography, examples of Hughes' poetry, and details about his meeting with Nicolas Guillen.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Hank Williams
Read detailed biographical information on country/blues/folk music star, Hank Williams, a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes an essential songs list.
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Guantanamera, a Poem and a Song
The folk classic "Guantanamera," takes on added meaning when students learn of its origin. Cuban political activist Jose Marti and controversial American activist Pete Seeger, serve as the basis for a fascinating comparative study....
Other
Mad River Theater Works: The Ballad of John Henry [Pdf]
Scroll down this study guide to find the lyrics to the Ballad of John Henry, which was collected from individuals in the West Virginia mountains in the 1920's. Discusses the different versions of the song and the history behind it.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland (1900-1990 CE) was one of the first composers to put jazzy music into symphonic music, Copland was also one of the greatest American composers. Read more about him and his work. Use RealAudio or Windows Media Player to...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Langston Hughes
This resource focuses on the works of famous African-American author, Langston Hughes.
Contemplator
Popular Songs in American History: Turkey in the Straw
This site provides the lyrics to an early minstrel song that was popular during Andrew Jackson's presidency.
Other
African Australian Online Resource
This site offers dozens of reviews of African recordings, new and re-released. Well-known musicians Zap Mama and Femi Kuti, as well as up and coming ones, are reviewed. Links to individual Web sites and audio files are also featured here.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Mississippi John Hurt
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Mississippi John Hurt, an American country-blues singer and guitarist who first recorded in the late 1920s but whose greatest fame and influence came when he was rediscovered in the early...
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Stephen Foster
A website that accompanies a film on Stephen Foster. Students can listen to the famous songs, view a timeline of his life, and find information about Foster's contemporaries.
ibiblio
Ibiblio: John Henry: The Steel Driving Man
This ibiblio.org site deeply explores the truth behind the legend of John Henry. Content includes interviews with numerous scholars who take a look at how this legend may have been created. Scholars also analyze historical facts versus...