Folk music

Alan Lomax is celebrated for incredible recordings that serve as touchstones for the field of folk music. But he is not universally praised — with some critics saying his methods, and even his collections, reinforced a segregated South and highlight offensively stereotypical aspects of African American culture.

The late Pete Seeger wrote his own songs about politics and culture, and also covered Cuban folk songs, African spirituals and traditional Irish tunes.

Canada’s Basia Bulat sits down at the piano to play several songs and talk about her new album with The World’s Aaron Schachter.

Oslo-based DJ, Maurius Asp, picks the debut album from the folk-pop duo Mona & Maria as the best summer album from Norway in recent years.

Why was British Musician Billy Bragg invited to present at the 2013 Americana Music Festival? Seems unusual, but Bragg argues that the British were actually integral in developing Americana music after World War II.