Smithsonian Folkways celebrates 70th anniversary with strongest release schedule in decades

To celebrate its first seven decades, Smithsonian Folkways presents what is arguably one of the strongest and most diverse release schedules in the history of the label. May 1, 2018, marks the 70th anniversary of the label that released touchstone albums from Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Lead Belly, and now boasts a fresh vision to take the vibrant, genre-spanning collection into the future. The schedule features 30 releases that introduce groundbreaking new artists and projects, including box sets, vinyl reissues, and archival recordings. The label is also promoting its burgeoning membership program, which empowers music lovers to bolster their support of musical traditions and cultural diversity, and helps sustain the future of the organization. 

Folkways' unique non-profit mission and identity, to document "people's music," spoken word, instruction, and sounds from around the world, has sustained the label through the ever-changing trends of the music industry, and has kept it relevant to three generations of listeners. Huib Schippers, who joined Smithsonian Folkways as Director and Curator in June 2016, during perhaps the most volatile era of the music industry, holds true to this charge.

"As only the fourth Director in seven decades, it is my goal to translate our original purpose of 'music of, by, and for the people' into the social, cultural, technological and economic realities of the 21st century. That is a challenge, but also exciting. In a way, we're the antithesis of the algorithms that dictate so much of what people hear today. We create and curate sounds and stories to educate minds and delight ears in unexpected ways. At the same time, we're committed to contributing to discussions on the major issues of the day, which is as urgent now as when Moses Asch founded the label in 1948."

This year's releases embody the label's historical foundations while striking out in new directions with innovative collaborations, voices both new and familiar, and fresh takes on traditions, revitalizing Asch's original undertaking.

Highlights include:

• New Artists and Projects: Leading the future of Smithsonian Folkways, Anna & Elizabeth sculpt old-time songs into a sonic adventure on 'The Invisible Comes to Us;' famed avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson partners with Tenzin Choegyal and Jesse Smith on 'Songs of the Bardo,' based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead; and Dom Flemons (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops) presents 'Black Cowboys,' a tribute to African American pioneers' contributions to the music, culture, and complex history of the Wild West. 
• The World in America: Exploring how sounds from across the world take root in the US, GRAMMY-winners Los Texmaniacs, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, and others continue the series 'Tradiciones,' while NEA fellow and master Iraqi oudist Rahim AlHaj returns with timely compositions of immense beauty and scope. An Asia-Pacific series is also in the works.
• Vinyl: Revisiting Folkways' most impactful and influential recordings with our long-awaited vinyl reissue series, we are releasing classic LPs from Lightnin' Hopkins, Woody Guthrie, Dock Boggs, Mary Lou Williams, and more. They sound and look as good as ever in the high-quality, original style and design packaging that made Folkways vinyl renowned among music lovers and collectors.
• Children's Music: Beloved Folkways artists Elizabeth Mitchell and Suni Paz collaborate on 'Tú eres mi flor,' a sunny Spanish-language release for all to enjoy, joining our collection of nearly 500 albums of children's music. 
• 2019 and Beyond: Monumental box sets include 'The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap,' 'The Social Power of Music,' and 'Pete Seeger: The Centennial Collection;' also in preparation are releases by Rhiannon Giddens, Kristin Andreassen and the Bright Siders, Sunny Jain (of Red Baraat), and others.

View Folkways' complete release schedule.

Building on a reach of 250 million listens annually, Smithsonian Folkways is developing new ways of connecting with the 80 million Americans enrolled in educational institutions every year. For seven decades, Folkways has been a leader in inspiring children to learn music and learn through music, producing lesson plans and materials used in classroom across the U.S.

Partners and donors support Smithsonian Folkways' recording projects and acquisitions, as evidenced by a $5 million gift from the Sage Foundation to ensure the iconic Arhoolie catalogue will be available in perpetuity. At a slightly more modest level, a tiered  70th Anniversary Membership Program enables the vast community of Folkways lovers, many of whom have been avid fans of the label for decades, to support its many mission-driven, non-profit ventures, while having access to exclusive musical offerings.

2018 promises to be an exciting 70th year for Smithsonian Folkways and the start of a bright, new future for the label.

ABOUT SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS:

Going into its 70th year, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the "National Museum of Sound," makes available close to 60,000 tracks in physical and digital format as the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian, with a reach of 80 million people per year. A division of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the non-profit label is dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among people through the documentation, preservation, production and dissemination of sound. Its mission is the legacy of Moses Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document "people's music" from around the world. For more information about Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, visit folkways.si.edu.

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