Folk Files

According to many textbooks, the blues is a genre that was born in the rural Mississippi Delta, with roots in the “sorrow songs” of enslaved people. It’s easy, however, to poke holes in this origin story and instead start to see the blues as a joyful, rebellious musical expression that formed in an urban environment. In this episode of Folk Files, we’ll take a look at different theories about the origin of the blues, separate fact from fiction, and uncover the reason why the Mississippi Delta narrative was promoted so strongly. (Note: episode has occasional explicit language and sexual references).
For a list of all musical excerpts used in this episode, click here: https://folkfilespodcast.com/episodes/season-3/episode-3-7/

Host: Olivia Harding
Chris Thomas King’s The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture: https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/the-blues-products-9780897336482.php
Visit the Delta Blues Museum: https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/
Support Folk Files by joining the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
Assistant Producer: Aaron J. Morton
Folk Files is a member of the Bluegrass Situation. Learn more about BGS here: https://thebluegrasssituation.com/
Interested in sponsoring Folk Files? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods

Whereas the “Two Sisters” murder ballad is a complete, coherent story, “Two Brothers” is messy. What’s the motive? Who are these brothers? Who kills who? In this episode of Folk Files, we search for the answers to these questions… and discover a dark hypothesis for why the story is so vague. (Content warning: this episode discusses themes that may not be appropriate for children).
Folk Files is now a member of the Bluegrass Situation. Learn more about BGS here: https://thebluegrasssituation.com/
For a list of all musical excerpts used in this episode, click here: https://folkfilespodcast.com/season-3/episode-3-6/
Host: Olivia Harding
Explore the Derek Piotr Fieldwork Archive: https://fieldwork-archive.com/
Support Folk Files by joining the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
Assistant Producer: Aaron J. Morton

Interested in sponsoring Folk Files? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods

Stan Rogers was one of Canada's greatest singer-songwriters, despite his music having never had major distribution or significant radio playtime. In this episode, I discuss the (tragically short) life of the impressive baritone and dissect his songs in order to answer this question: What makes his songs such instant folk classics?
Host and Producer: Olivia Harding
Assistant Producer: Aaron J. Morton
Learn more about TransTrad: https://www.transtradfest.org/
Watch the One Warm Line: The Legacy of Stan Rogers: https://youtu.be/-h9A2RAfv9M?si=EJMzxJbvwi_upiEj
Support Folk Files by joining the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
For a full list of musical excerpts, head to the Folk Files website: https://folkfilespodcast.com/season-3/episode-3-5/

A harrowing murder ballad in which an older sister shoves her younger sister in the water (and sometimes a musician makes an instrument from the drowned girl's corpse) can be found all over Great Britain, North America, and Scandinavia. But where did it originally come from? And how has the story changed as it's traveled across seas? Find out in this episode of Folk Files, all about "Twa Sisters."
CORRECTION: The artist named as "Kate Corwen" should actually be "Kate Fletcher" (Kate Fletcher performs in a duo with Corwen Broch)
Host: Olivia Harding
Learn more about the Spokane Fall Folk Festival: https://www.spokanefolkfestival.org/
For more on this ballad, check out the In the Roud podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj8x5X1kCc0
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
Special thanks to Aaron J. Morton
For a full list of musical excerpts associated with this episode, head to the episode page on the new Folk Files website: https://folkfilespodcast.com/uncategorized/episode-3-4/

In this St. Patrick's Day episode, I ask the question: Is it actually Irish? We will explore over thirty songs that are performed in Irish contexts and see if they actually come from Irish sources. Along the way, we'll discuss the Rising of 1798, the history of Dublin, the Great Famine, and the Irish diaspora. 
Host: Olivia Harding
Learn more about the Albuquerque Folk Festival: https://www.abqfolkfest.org/
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
Special thanks to Aaron J. Morton
For a full list of musical excerpts associated with this episode, head to the episode page on the new Folk Files website: