Folksongs of Illinois is an engaging production from the Illinois Humanities Council that simultaneously problematizes and gives tribute to folk music in Illinois. The tracks included on the CDs--from scratchy 1920s-era historical recordings to modern-day studio cuts--present a much more inclusive vision of Illinois folk music than many listeners might initially assume.
The CDs and accompanying booklets of Folksongs of Illinois provide a valuable and well-executed resource that would augment any folklorist’s, ethnomusicologist’s, or music-lover’s collection. The liner notes, essential to understanding the eclectic playlist, use engaging, vivid language to convey a sense of excitement. The pages are filled with active phrasing: publishers “churned out songs,” “radio also burst onto the scene,” and “a flood of migrants and immigrants who seized the opportunities offered by America’s growing industrial economy.” Many historical photographs augment the booklet’s text and give another colorful layer of information about the artists.
Folksongs of Illinois #1 pairs nineteen folksongs with twenty-eight-pages of annotation and background information. The songs come from very diverse musical traditions, ranging from Appalachian old-time and Black lined-out hymnody to Balkan tamburitza and Mexican corridos. Among other gems, Carl Sandburg plays guitar and sings, Poles parody “Camptown Races,” turn-of-the-century “Stage Dutch” performers dialogue about a pickle factory, and the Staples Singers blend their voices.
Folksongs of Illinois #2: Fiddlers offers an equally eclectic and rich array of artists. The accompanying twenty-eight page booklet is subdivided into “Prairie State Fiddling Traditions: Some Historical Background,” “Pioneers,” “Movers and Shakers,” and “Nostalgia and Professionalization.” This CD demonstrates the interconnectedness of some old-time fiddlers in Illinois. Chicago fiddlers Chirps Smith, Stephanie Coleman, and Paul Tyler (who wrote the liner notes) play a tune (track 20) learned from Gary Harrison (track 1) who was influenced by “Pappy” Taylor (track 16). Other fiddlers and traditions are represented, including the Sones de México, Polish dance bands, traditional Norwegian tunes, Liz Carroll’s Irish reels, bluegrass rags, and Serbian kolos.
One of the most interesting aspects of this anthology, aside from the wonderful music, is how it presents “folk music.” The CDs provide an impressive eclectic and annotated overview of “folksongs” in Illinois. What they do not provide--despite using the term pervasively throughout, and as the organizing factor for the collection--is an explanation of “folk” music. The term “folksong” is touched upon in the introductory paragraphs to Folksongs of Illinois #1. Clark "Bucky" Halker and Nicole Sayer open by acknowledging that “for most Americans, folk music is the music of rural America; someplace vaguely Southern, where white musicians strum guitars, pick banjos, and sing with a twang” (3). They address a few other stereotypes and then encourage readers to expand their concept of folk music to include the music of American immigrants. “Once we think of that [immigrant] experience and the music that grew out of it, our image and definition of folk music becomes broader and more inclusive” (3). No more in-depth discussion of the term “folk music” is offered. This observation might seem overly picky, but more explanation of the theoretical framework uniting the extremely diverse musical tracks would be helpful. The usual questions of inclusion and exclusion rear their heads. Is folk music any music? Why are some genres present, but others are not? For example, why are there multiple old-time vocal and fiddle tracks, but Chicago jazz is only included on the fiddle CD? Many of the historical recordings were originally released on record labels, such as Columbia. Isn’t this just outdated popular music? And does it really matter? In the end, for me, attempts to parse these things are drowned out by the sheer vitality of the music. Nevertheless, for many listeners, this aspect of the project may prove to be one of the most engaging.
The concept of place runs a close second. Affirmation of immigrant music as “of Illinois” is a positive move that acknowledges the rich cultural diversity of the state. Some contributors are from Illinois but play music from elsewhere, such as Irish fiddler Liz Carroll. Many artists are also included who were born in Illinois but live elsewhere, such as bluegrass’ Allison Krauss, old-time’s Gary Harrison. What makes something a “folksong,” and what makes it “of Illinois”? For those who like a dose of (over?)analysis with their music, the juxtaposition of so many musical traditions and artists provides great fodder for thought.
The producers of Folksongs of Illinois are not unaware of these complexities. In the front matter of the booklet accompanying each compact disc in the series, Illinois Humanities Council Executive Director Kristina A. Valitis explains the series as “a rare opportunity to look at our diverse cultural heritage through the lens of Illinois musicians and songwriters.” The project gives a nod to musical development over time, as Paul Tyler explains in the introduction to Folksongs of Illinois #2: Fiddlers: “As this anthology shows, the Prairie State’s fiddling traditions were mined and revitalized with considerable success. What’s more, this anthology also shows that proponents of newer sounds and styles of drawing the bow have also made remarkable contributions to the state’s musical heritage, innovating as they extended tradition and carried us forward” (8). Wisely aware of the project’s proportions and the inability to cover all of Illinois’ musical traditions in two CDs, producer Bucky Halker writes that “We also hope that other individuals and organizations will feel compelled to issue CDs that cover other aspects of Illinois’ music heritage. Finally, we hope that other states will be inspired to follow our path and issue similar recordings highlighting their musical heritage” (1:9). The project sometimes feels like its enthusiasm to include so much excellent material takes it in multiple directions, as though it is torn between being a sampler of music of Illinois, a historical retrospective, and something in between.
In spite of these theoretical conundrums (or perhaps partially because of them), both volumes of Folksongs of Illinois would be assets to any musical collection. Their diverse playlists defy easy background listening, and their enthusiastic liner notes, vintage recordings, and inclusive approach encourage listeners to engage with the material. These CDs provide a spark to ignite further musical and intellectual investigation. Who knew that Illinois is, and was, so musically diverse?
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[Review length: 1035 words • Review posted on August 19, 2008]