Smithsonian folkways records

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In 1948, Moses Asch and Marian Distler founded Folkways Records in New York City. Folkways recorded, documented, and released 2,168 albums under Asch’s direction until his death in 1986. Because he was one of the first record companies to have albums with world music, he was one of the most influential record companies of his time. Also, they American folk music revival was made possible. Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Lead Belly all recorded at Folkways. He had a small staff, but they managed to include a variety of topics, such as: traditional, ethnic, and contemporary. There were even recordings that included poetry, instructions, spoken word, several different languages, events, and sounds from nature. Because of Asch’s death, the Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington D.C. obtained Folkway Recordings. Smithsonian Folkways continued to expand on Asch’s work by adding 300 new recordings.

The mission statement of Smithsonian Folkways is: “

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution, the national museum of the United States. We are dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among peoples through the documentation, preservation, and dissemination of sound. We believe that musical and cultural diversity contributes to the vitality and quality of life throughout the world. Through the dissemination of audio recordings and educational materials we seek to strengthen people's engagement with their own cultural heritage and to enhance their awareness and appreciation of the cultural heritage of others. Our mission is the legacy of Moses Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document "people's music," spoken word, instruction, and sounds from around the world. The Smithsonian acquired Folkways from the Asch estate in 1987, and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has continued the Folkways commitment to cultural diversity, education, increased understanding, and lively engagement with the world of sound.

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[1]  © 2004 Smithsonian Institution
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