Old-Time / Appalachian / String Band
familyStarted 19th centuryPeak 1923–1945Last big hit still active
This family covers the older mountain and string-band lane: pre-bluegrass fiddle and banjo music, unaccompanied and lightly accompanied ballads, sacred singings, and front-porch ensemble playing.
History
Its roots run through Appalachian settlement, African American banjo history, British and Irish balladry, church song, and Southern dance tradition.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Library of Congress
- Smithsonian Folkways
- NPS
- Britannica. citeturn16search0turn8search6turn7search1