The second I see a little bit of yellow on any of the trees, I naturally start to develop an urge to listen to the blues, folk, and bluegrass music. Watching leaves turn orange as I listen to frenzied banjo and wailing Appalachian singers is complementary to my idea of fall. As the chill returns to the air, I listen to tales of cowboys, trains, and mountains. In this week’s article, I will be summarizing the origin of the Blues and how the genre changed everything, recommending some comforting blues, bluegrass, and folk for anyone who may be interested in expanding their musical horizons this autumn.
Blues and Folk are genres heavily rooted in American identity and culture. The history of the blues is incredibly important to Western music and is the reason for most modern genres, making music accessible to everyone. The Blues formed from African American culture in the US, with places like Congo Square birthing not just the Blues genre, but everything that came after it. Don’t let Elvis take all the credit for a genre that was birthed by Black Americans. Bluegrass tends to feature a variety of harmonies and percussion accompanied by dancing violin and complex banjo riffs; these rhythms were inspired by a mix of the blues and European Celtic culture.
For anyone interested in the Blues, I would like to recommend three songs to get you started. “Dark was the night, cold was the ground” by Blind Willie Johnson is a song that feels eerie and cold while simultaneously comforting and beautiful. The wailing guitar over the deep humming vocals never ceases to give me chills. It’s the perfect song for a crisp, rainy fall night. “Hard Times” by Ray Charles and Downhearted Blues by Bessie Smith are other songs I can’t go without when the weather gets cold.
One of my favorite artists this season is Townes Van Zandt, a singer-songwriter who penned and sang various cowboy-esque ballads. Songs like “Poncho and Lefty”, “I’ll be here in the morning”, and “Waiting around to die” capture darkness and death tied up in a folky bow. His vocals are raspy and clear, and in combination with his guitar playing, his music is perfect for fall. His musical style is so unique that his Rolling Stones cover “Dead Flowers” became its own. I prefer his version in honor of the falling leaves. Another folk cover I enjoy is Joan Baez’ version of “House of the Rising Sun”. It’s beautiful and completely rooted in the Blues, as earlier versions of the song were sung by Blues artists like Leadbelly. “Everybody Knows this is Nowhere” By Neil Young and Crazy Horse, “Chimacun Rain” by Linda Perhacs, “Place to be” by Nick Drake and “I’d like to walk around in your mind” by Vashti Bunyan (who’s entire discography I adore) are other songs that make me feel like I am curled up in an Autumn hug.
For bluegrass, I recommend “The Hobo Song”, specifically the Old and in the Way version. This bluegrass dream team featuring Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, and David Grisman plays “hillbilly” style jazz. This song has energetic banjo and fiddle, stacked with clear vocal harmonies that maintain good chemistry between the instruments. Garcia, who is best recognized from one of my favorite bands ever, The Grateful Dead, was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, along with blues artist Howlin’ Wolf. Another bluegrass song I really enjoy is “Ecstasy” by Crooked Still. The banjo in this song is dark and dynamic.
Some of the best folk and blues songs acknowledge things like death and hardship while incorporating complex rhythms and instrumentation. Fall is my favorite season because it retains its beauty, despite the leaves dying and the weather getting colder. In Hoboken, we may not have many trees or mountains to admire, but there is beauty everywhere that I feel the need to mourn and acknowledge in a positive way during this season. The unnatural beauty of the city and the fog led me to admire these changes in more detail. To me, folk is defined by its connection to identity and whatever ‘home’ may be to the performers. I hope that everyone’s fall this year feels like home.
