Different Interpretations

In the early 1960s "folk music" was defined broadly. For some it included the "hillbilly music" that provided the roots of modern country-and-western music; for others it included rural and working-class tunes such as those performed by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger; and for others it included popularized, often sanitized versions, by performers such as Burl Ives and the Kingston Trio. Then something new happened.

The New Stars

In 1962 the first of a new generation of performers appeared, most prominently Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul and Mary, all unaffected musicians whose straightforward delivery of a repertoire that included traditional songs and new compositions after traditional models attracted a large, appreciative audience. In particular, folk musicians addressed contemporary issues facing college students, notably civil rights and, later, the Vietnam War.

The...