Every culture has its own music. Musically, folk music, also called roots music, varies from country to country. Folk music around the world shares some common characteristics, however. Most folk songs have unknown composers and were passed down from generation to generation. The working or poorer classes of people have typically been the catalysts for keeping folk songs alive. Song subjects often speak of economic hardships and poor living conditions, although love and longing are also common subjects. Immigrants from Europe that settled in the United States brought their folk songs with them and invented new folk songs by combining Celtic or Eastern European styles with the American music forms of country, blue grass, gospel, and Native American. American folk music gave birth to much of the today's popular music, including rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and the Nashville sound. Folk music in the United States has enjoyed increased popularity in recent years.
For more information about folk music, refer to the web sites below:
Web Rings
Forums
Fan Sites and Clubs
Organizations
Folk Music Information