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Stephen Winick

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Two Irish American Women Who Carried Songs Across Time

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Two Irish American Women Who Carried Songs Across Time

It’s Women’s History Month, as well as Irish American Heritage Month, so I thought we might delve into the American Folklife Center archive and look at two great and influential field recordings from Irish American women. I selected these two songs from a longer set that I put

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: How Cowboy Culture Found Its Way Into New England Poetry

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: How Cowboy Culture Found Its Way Into New England Poetry

Nothing says “Americana” like cowboy culture, and we’ve got a rich vein of it at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress. We have cowboy songs galore from Texas, documentation of buckaroo life in Nevada, and other cowboy material from throughout the West. As a staff member

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Native American Cylinder Recordings Connect Cultures Across Time

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Native American Cylinder Recordings Connect Cultures Across Time

The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress preserves roots music and traditional culture from across the country and around the world. None of our materials has a longer history or a deeper connection to the American landscape than the recordings we safeguard featuring songs and stories from Native

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: ‘This Land’ and Sea Shanties on the World Stage

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: ‘This Land’ and Sea Shanties on the World Stage

When roots music fans look back on January 2021, we’re likely to remember two things: the events at the U.S. Capitol and the sudden explosion of sea shanties on social media. This month I’ll highlight some archival treasures held by the American Folklife Center that are related

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Bessie Jones, 'Oh Death,' and a Story of the Supernatural

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Bessie Jones, 'Oh Death,' and a Story of the Supernatural

When October rolls around, some of us at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress start to think about the rich stores of supernatural lore that exist among our discs, tapes, and manuscripts. Among the great singers and storytellers whose work we preserve, some stand out as experts

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Test Pressings Help Keep Robert Johnson's Songs Alive

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: Test Pressings Help Keep Robert Johnson's Songs Alive

No American roots musician is the subject of more myth, mystery, discussion, and debunking than bluesman Robert Johnson. Some still whisper that he learned his powerful playing technique through a deal with the devil — even though this is a venerable legend told of many musicians before Johnson was even born,

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: The Arlo Guthrie Birth Announcement

ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: The Arlo Guthrie Birth Announcement

Arlo Guthrie is a beloved elder of Americana, known for such whimsical stories and songs as “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” and “The Motorcycle Song,” as well as many social justice songs, not to mention an iconic cover of “City of New Orleans.” He’s the father of Sarah Lee, Annie,