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American Folk Music

The Smithsonian's collections and archives are a rich source of information on American folk music and its many genres. Smithsonian Folkways is home to a significant collection of folk music recordings with a storied history as a participant in documenting and supporting the growth of American folk.

  • American Folk Music
  • Folk Revival
  • Politics and Protest
  • Instruments
  • American Folk Fiddle
  • Bob Dylan
  • American Five-String Fretless Banjo
  • Doc Watson and Merle Watson
  • Martin Guitar, used by Libba (Elizabeth) Cotten
  • Peter, Paul and Mary, UC Berkeley, 1964
  • Mother Maybelle and the Carter Family
  • Joshua Daniel White
  • Gourd Folk Fiddle
  • Libba Cotten
  • Woody Guthrie
  • Odetta
  • Pete Seeger
  • Holy Modal Rounders
  • Blue Sky Boys
  • Pete Seeger (with Alan Lomax)
  • The Kingston Trio posing for an album cover at Frank Werber's house. Mill Valley, CA , 1964
  • Bob Dylan
  • Joan Baez
  • Joan Baez
  • Tenor Guitar, used by Nick Reynolds of The Kingston Trio
  • Bob Dylan
  • Woody Guthrie
  • Mississippi John Hurt
  • Burl Ives
  • Huddie Ledbetter
  • Silvertone Electric-Acoustic Guitar, used by Jesse Fuller
  • Joshua Daniel White
  • John Jacob Niles
  • Burl Ives
  • Odetta
  • Castor Folk Fiddle
  • Anita Carter
  • Huddie Ledbetter
  • Huddie Ledbetter
  • EmmyLou Harris

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