Folk Song America IV — Various Artists

Folk Song America IV - Various Artists (1996)

A rich collection of traditional American folk songs, this volume highlights storytelling, heritage, and authentic performances rooted in history.

• Artist: Various Artists
• Album: Folk Song America IV
• Year: 1996
• Label: Rounder Records
• Format: CD, Compilation (Retail)
• Country: United States
• Genre: Folk
• Style: Folk Revival

Folk Song America IV continues a thoughtful series dedicated to preserving the musical threads that helped shape American culture. This volume gathers voices and songs that reach back through time: ballads carried across oceans, work songs born from hardship, spirituals, frontier tales, and melodies passed down by memory rather than sheet music. Each track feels like a chapter from an old book, worn at the edges but still full of life.

Part of the charm lies in the simplicity. Acoustic guitars, banjos, fiddles, and unvarnished vocals take center stage, reminding listeners that great songs don’t need elaborate production. What matters is the story, the emotion, and the sense of connection to people who lived, loved, struggled, and hoped long before us.

A bit of context: collections like Folk Song America played an important role in the folk revival, helping listeners rediscover traditional tunes that influenced artists from Bob Dylan to Joan Baez and beyond. They’re like curated archives, carefully assembled so these songs don’t vanish into history.

Collectors appreciate Volume IV because it feels both educational and deeply moving. Put it on and you’ll hear echoes of porches, campfires, church halls, and faraway prairies. It’s music that doesn’t shout. It simply tells the truth, quietly and beautifully. 🌾🎻