PFMS has been working to provide a variety of musical evenings for our friends and patrons. After two Irish/Celtic themed concerts, our next offerings will be Americana Folk.
In 2020, the Americana Music Association (AMA) defined Americana music as “…the rich threads of country, folk, blues, soul, bluegrass, gospel, and rock in our tapestry.” It is a musical tradition that has several common defining characteristics:
- Acoustic instrumentation: Nearly all Americana genres emphasize acoustic instruments, particularly strings like guitar, banjo, and upright bass.
- Reverence for the past: Artists seek to creatively recycle lyrical themes and harmonic ideas from past generations. Even progressive Americana artists, like Jason Isbell and Bonnie Raitt, make use of past traditions to create new music.
- Narrative and symbolic lyrics: Many genres under the Americana umbrella are rooted in storytelling or symbolism. This can be attributed to the early influence of European folk traditions.
For a flavor of the huge variety of music within this genre, spend some time listening to these Youtube playlists: 500 Greatest Folk Songs and Americana Playlist.
Now that you know what Americana music is, please join PFMS in June and July.
- On June 28, The Susie Glaze New Folk Ensemble will join us at Knox Presbyterian Church. Check out the events page for tickets and details. Hear a sample set from their recent concert at Boulevard Music.
- July 26 will see Tipps and Obermiller at the Beckman Institute Auditorium. Check out the events page for tickets and details. PFMS board members enjoyed their performance at the 2024 Folk Alliance Region-West conference and wanted to share with our musical family.