American folk music. I can be the best AND the worst of musical genres. It allows for some of the lowest musical talent of all America’s mainstream music genres, a folk singer who can’t stay on pitch and only knows 4 chords on the guitar can sometimes make a name for himself/herself. It can also foster some of the most creative music, dripping with poetry, soaked in tradition but also bursting with originality. But there are plenty of genres that exude just as much creativity and much more musical talent, so why does folk music specifically always stand as a cornerstone in our society? Why does it seem to make a comeback in mainstream music every 40 years or so in America, currently with bands like Mumford and Sons and Of Monsters and Men?
My band, Smith House, is having moderate success, at least in Colorado, and we’re slowly but surely beginning to spread our name across the country as we start to take more out of state tours. But as we have worked to create a little success for ourselves over the years, I have discovered some very interesting notions about what it takes to “make it” in music, and that folk music has an entirely different set of rules for success, and in turn, I have grown some thoughts about what makes folk music timeless. I don’t profess to have any original ideas about how to make it in music, or what the motives of folk music are, I am simply sharing my experiences as a folk musician and entrepreneur.
I discovered that folk music allows for an entirely different interaction between performers and the audience than other mainstream genres. Though this is a generalization, I believe it’s almost always true. Before I started falling in love with folk, I tried my hand at a wide spread of other genres. I played in rock bands, I loved and followed jazz, I went through a rap phase, and many others. What I discovered about folk is that it’s main focus is on the people involved in the music, where-as other mainstream genres focus on either the intricacy of the music itself (jazz, classical) OR on the emotional feeling it gives listeners when they hear it (rap, pop, etc.). A folk singer can get famous because of who he is, even if he is a relatively poor musician. For all you Bob Dylan fans out there (I am one as well), don’t be offended when I say that Bob Dylan is a relatively poor musician. Truth be told, he really is compared to the Greats of other genres like jazz and classical. Bob Dylan gained fame largely due to who he is and his life experiences, and the poetic subject matter he sings about. Folk is a vulnerable genre, it’s largely about the singer laying his/her heart on the table right in front of the audience. That kind of vulnerability fosters community, and though the music itself is hugely important, it acts more as a channel to create connection between people who listen to folk music. Glen Hansard is another famous folk singer who portrays this vulnerability wonderfully. He talks to his audience between songs for as much time in a concert as he does actually playing his songs.
Smith House is rooted deeply in the notion that folk music is about people. The band gets its name from a community house that Barrett and I, the singers and songwriters of the band, lived in before we started the band. We were inspired by the community of “The Smith House”. Music was a natural part of the community. The residents and also the guests and travelers who frequented the house’s community dinners, concerts, and guest sleeping quarters, were constantly picking up instruments and singing group favorites. When the house dissipated in 2012, Barrett and I formed a band and named it in honor of The Smith House. Any success we have had in folk music since then has been due to the relationships we have with our fans, not due to us being the sexiest, most talented musicians in town. I believe folk music is one of the very few music genres that a band can experience relative success in by just creating great relationships and having a fan base that is a community in and of itself, rather than making it through playing perfect shows, recording perfect albums, or being hot rockstars.
So finally, why will folk never die? People need community. Sure, some people would rather be lone wolves, but generally I believe humans are made to commune. In America specifically, I think society swings like a pendulum between independent living and isolation, and needing relationships and closeness. From my travels and experience, America puts a much higher value on independence and individuality than any other region of the world. I am not criticizing our society, I am a part of it and cherish it, but it does create a feeling of extremes. We get so deep into individuality and isolation that it takes a revival of sorts to re-introduce the value of community. Our recent folk music revival came very shortly after the boom of social media and smartphones. These technologies seem like advancements in community, but I believe they are extremely isolating, making it easier and easier for people to believe that online community is the same, or as good as, real community. American folk music is more than a fad. It is a symbol of coming together. As long as this country remembers its need for community, folk will never die.
Thanks for reading! Again, check us out on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SmithHouseMusic/) and bandcamp for free streaming music, and most other main online stages. I hope we get to commune together someday in person!