New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) - On March 24th Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will release 'Classic Protests Songs from Smithsonian Folkways,' a bold collection of songs from the 1940s, '50s and '60s that pays homage to movements of conscience and voices of dissent. 'Classic Protest Songs' features music from Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Janis Ian, Big Bill Broonzy, Pete Seeger,
Barbara Dane, Guy Carawan, Phil Ochs, and an unreleased track by
Champion Jack Dupree titled "I'm Going to Write the Governor of Georgia."
Smithsonian Folkways' Mark Gustafson and Jeff Place mined the archives to compile this album, the first in the "Classic" CD series to draw songs from other labels in the Smithsonian Folkways collection (Paredon, Fast Folk, Monitor Records). Accompanied by a 32-page booklet with an introduction by archivist Place and insightful song notes and bios, 'Classic Protest Songs' is a testament to the power of song to fuel change. When Harry Smith, creator of the 'Anthology of American Folk Music,' received a GRAMMY Award just a few months before his death in 1991, he said, "I'm glad to say that my dreams came true-that I saw America changed through music." On these 22 tracks, marquee artists let their voices ring out with calls for peace and justice in iconic songs that not only inspired many people's dreams decades ago but continue to do so today. For example, Billy Bragg turned Lead Belly's "Bourgeois Blues" into his own antiwar anthem, "Bush War Blues." The enduring relevance of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," about an America for all its people, was in clear evidence at President Obama's nationally televised inaugural concert, where Bruce Springsteen performed it live with Pete Seeger.
Songs range from blues to corridos to gospel-inspired anthems of the Civil Rights Movement. Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," named "Song of the Century" by Time magazine in 1999, was a condemnation of American racism and lynchings. Brother John Sellers, whose version of "Strange Fruit" appears in this collection, was a major influence on the young Bob Dylan, who penned two of the songs covered here, "Masters of War" and "Blowin' in the Wind." Each of the 17 albums now comprising the best-selling "Classic" series, traces formative styles and performers of American music. These engaging collections of rare recordings illustrate the key role Moses Asch and his Folkways label played in preserving a vital piece of American history. Other releases from the "Classic" series include 'Piano Blues' (2008); 'African American Gospel' (2008); 'Old-Time Fiddle' (2007); 'African American Ballads' (2006); 'Canadian Songs' (2006); 'Labor Songs' (2006); 'Railroad Songs' (2006); 'Bluegrass Vol. 2' (2005); 'Southern Gospel' (2005); 'Folk Music' (2004); and 'Maritime Music' (2004).
NOTE: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings retail distribution is through RYKO Distribution at 800.808.RYKO. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings releases are available through record and book outlets. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, as well as the original Folkways, Cook, Dyer-Bennet, Monitor, Paredon, Collector and Fast Folk collections, are available via mail order at 1.888.FOLKWAYS or 800.410.9815 and via the Internet.
Visit the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings website at https://www.folkways.si.edu/ and https://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/.
