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Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the record label of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Folkways has focused on documenting, preserving, and disseminating folk and world music. In this way, Smithsonian Folkways has continued the work of Moses "Moe" Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948. He sought to document "people's music," spoken word, and world sound. In 1987, the Smithsonian acquired Folkways Records from the Asch estate. Smithsonian Folkways is a branch of the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, which houses the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Another outlet of Smithsonian Folkways is Smithsonian Global Sound. Global Sound uses the the internet to document, record, archive, catalog and digitize music and other verbal arts and distribute them via the World Wide Web.
Founded in 1948 by Moses Asch (1905-1986) and Marian Distler (1919-1964) in New York City, Folkways Records & Service Co. sought to record and document sound from the entire world. From 1948 until Asch's death in 1986, Folkways Records released 2,168 albums. The albums were very diverse in content including traditional and contemporary music from around the world; spoken word, poetry, and muli-lingual instructional recordings; and field recordings of communities, individuals, and natural sounds.
Folkways was one of the first companies to offer albums of "world music." It was also an early proponent of the singers and songwriters, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Leadbelly, who formed the center of the American folk music revival.
The Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, D.C. acquired Asch's Folkways recordings and business files after his death in 1986. This acquisition was initiated by Ralph Rinzler, of the Smithsonian, before Asch's death and completed by the Asch Family to ensure the sounds and artists would be preserved for future generations. As a result, it was agreed to continue Asch's policy that all of the 2,168 titles would stay in print indefinitely regardless of market sales.
Since that time, the label, renamed Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, has expanded Asch's collection by adding several other record labels (including Cook, Monitor, Fast Folk, Dyer-Bennet, and Paredon) as well as releasing over 300 new recordings.
The mission statement of Smithsonian Folkways states that their mission "is the legacy of Moses Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document 'people's music.'" They "are dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among peoples through the documentation, preservation, and dissemination of sound", and that "musical and cultural diversity contributes to the vitality and quality of life throughout the world." By making these recordings available, they intend "strengthen people's engagement with their own cultural heritage and to enhance their awareness and appreciation of the cultural heritage of others."[1]