ryguydrummerboy

Now now that's hardly the problematic element about Lomax for me. I'm more concerned with his views on how black music fit into his narrative for what "folk" music should be. He never asked them to play the songs they enjoyed playing. He had an absolute fetish for prison work songs and a few songs in particular. Took him almost 15 years before he considered recording in a church. From his son - "The black communities were just too difficult to work in with any efficiency and so my father had the great idea that probably all of the sinful people were in jail". And of course once he did get to the prisons, even if the prisoners didn't want to sing they'd be coerced by guards into doing so.

Don't get me wrong - the recordings of Alan Lomax are incredible and a true american treasure. But it's definitely problematic.

EDIT: Typed in a way that implied Lomax never recorded church music. Not my intention. Foolishly didn't finish a sentence ha!

How did you get in to such a sport? I know in communities like mine, football, baseball, soccer and basketball have relatively high access. What about bobsledding? How does one find the equipment/teams for it?

No you all good! I think it's important to note history isn't perfect. Without Lomax we wouldn't have so much amazing recordings. He was problematic and I wish he had done things differently and it's best musicologists move forward correcting those mistakes. Such an interesting history!

Ahh i dont have any of my books or papers as im away on vacation. Also do note I dont mean to insinuate they never did church recordings. I mean it took them quite some time to want to do them. I just recall seeing a clear sentiment of what should folk music be and having a disagreement with his take.

I agree with your sentiment on the stigma of secular music. The work ive done in all fairness has a stronger focus on slightly more recent work. I recall the legendary gospel and soul singer Sam Cooke and the strong blowback he got from within gospel circles for going “secular”. His first single was even released under a new name specifically to try to mask this.

Edit: i should mention my bias is towards gospel music as thats where ive done more work. If i can find any online sources to my claim ill do attach. Unfortunately i tend to hit the books more often on this topic so im not as familiar with whats online.

What hurdles do you have to leap when planting new gardens? I am looking to do the same but have yet to start.