Arts Apr 30 Ukrainian folk band DakhaBrakha uses music to bring attention to the war in their homeland By Mike Cerre
Arts Apr 18 Watch 7:01 Sam Amidon mines the ‘intensity & strangeness’ of tradition to make music uniquely his own Sam Amidon is a singer-songwriter on the fiddle, banjo, and guitar, but he’s mostly known for recasting traditional American folk songs into vibrant contemporary soundscapes. He spoke to NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Tom Casciato about his Vermont upbringing and how… By Tom Casciato
Arts Jul 26 Watch 8:05 How violinist Gaelynn Lea is redefining who can be a musician Gaelynn Lea is transforming our cultural understanding of who can be a musician. A congenital disability called osteogenesis imperfecta caused her bones to break more than 40 times while she was in the womb. But the violinist is known for… By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport
Health Jul 14 This genetic brain disorder turned Woody Guthrie’s life from songs to suffering Huntington's disease -- which Guthrie inherited from his mother -- can lead to serious mood disorders, uncoordinated and involuntary body movements, balance problems, psychotic breaks, dementia and death. By Dr. Howard Markel
Arts Jul 12 Watch 7:57 Folk legend Joan Baez reflects on a life in music and activism After six decades performing, folk legend Joan Baez is saying farewell to music with a tour this summer. But before setting off, she sat down with Jeffrey Brown to talk about her long career in music and political activism, and… By Jeffrey Brown
Apr 10 Watch 4:33 Meet J.S. Ondara, the Kenyan folk singer hoping to revive the ‘American Dream’ By Frank Carlson J.S. Ondara grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, listening to American rock and roll. When he was 17, he stumbled upon Bob Dylan -- and his life’s ambitions. Nearly a decade later, Ondara lives in the U.S. and just released his… Continue watching
Sep 01 Watch 4:59 Offa Rex revives centuries-old folk songs with new sound By PBS NewsHour Offa Rex -- a transatlantic collaboration of the English singer Olivia Chaney and the American indie rock band The Decemberists -- is putting a modern twist on traditional folk songs that were previously revived in the 1960s and ‘70s. Jeffrey… Continue watching
Sep 01 WATCH: Offa Rex performs the song, ‘Old Churchyard,’ channeling rich oral history By Andrew Bossone The British folk song, “The Old Churchyard,” performed here by the Portland band The Decemberists and English singer Olivia Chaney at this year’s Newport Folk Fest, is part of a rich, oral tradition passed along by musicians and… Continue reading
Aug 23 Watch 6:37 How old-timey ‘skiffle’ music liberated British rock By PBS NewsHour Singer/songwriter Billy Bragg gained fame as a punk rock and folk musician in the 1980s. Now nearing 60, he’s still singing songs of protest and passion, but also singing the gospel of skiffle, a folk and blues-inspired genre that helped… Continue watching
Aug 04 Watch 8:17 Why musicians and fans still flock to Newport Folk Festival By PBS NewsHour From legendary masters to emerging stars, everyone wants to play the Newport Folk Festival. The relatively small, intimate three-day event sells out before the lineup is announced, attracting musicians who stretch the definition of the genre while retaining the original… Continue watching