Smithsonian Folkways returns to Newport Folk Festival

Smithsonian Folkways is returning to the famed Newport Folk Festival for a second year! The label has teamed up with the festival to present J.P. Harris’ second annual Outside Folk, featuring Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Judy Collins, Ari Hest, Alice Gerrard, Allison de Groot, and more! Catch them Saturday, July 27th and Sunday, July 28th on the Museum Stage.

Outside Folk was born of a desire to honor an oft-overlooked group of veteran musicians, many of whom have spent their careers at the periphery of folk music and the spotlight. Pairing these torch-bearers with younger, traditionally-influenced musicians at the forefront of the "new folk movement," the Outside Folk program aims to show an artistic correlation across generations, create a unique musical moment in history, and honor those who've existed on the edges of tradition.

Folkways and the Newport Folk Festival had a famously symbiotic relationship in the late 50s and throughout the 60s, with some of the label's most popular and important artists being nearly synonymous with Newport: Pete Seeger, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Elizabeth Cotten, Doc Watson, Roscoe Holcomb, Dock Boggs, Mississippi John Hurt, Clarence Ashley, Big Bill Broonzy and the New Lost City Ramblers, who's John Cohen will return to the Newport stage at Outside Folk this year with The Down Hill Strugglers.

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