folk rock

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When folk singer Bob Dylan shocked the world in the sixties by strapping on an electric guitar and making rock albums like Highway 61 Revisited, a funny thing happened. Well, actually, several funny things happened — but by far the biggest of them all was folk rock.

In Dylan's wake, several groups — most from California and many covering Dylan's songs — sprang up out of nowhere and began ruling the pop charts. Among the most noteworthy were the Byrds, the Mamas and the Papas, the Lovin' Spoonful, and Buffalo Springfield.

Although each sounded distinct from one another, what they shared were vocal harmonies and songs which melded elements of both folk as well as rock with often politically-charged lyrics. Soon the sound would morph into the psychedelic rock of bands like Jefferson Airplane.

Hence, folk rock.

By the seventies, folk rock had again evolved — this time into the mellow-rock of singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Carole King, and Harvest-era Neil Young. Today, folk rock endures in the form of modern-day artists like Conor Oberst and Seattle's Fleet Foxes.

You'll find folk-rockers blogging about it online at sites like Zero G Sound.

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Latest blogosphere posts tagged “folk rock”

  • Fairytale of New York


    ROBERT WYATT AND STUFFAuthority Authority: 132
    We just have to have the best Christmas song of them all in the blog in December, "Fairytale of New York", this time live with Martha Wainwright and Ed Harcourt (Royal Albert Hall 9 December, 2009). The original with Shane McGowan and Kirsty McColl is perfect, but this version is good too, although not really as ...
    1 day ago
  • Carbon Leaf @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC - 11.28.09


    Concert Photographer Bryan Kremkau - SkaPunkPhotos.comAuthority Authority: 115
    Carbon Leaf and Stephen Kellogg played during Thanksgiving weekend at Bowery Ballroom in New York City. This show was my 3rd Carbon Leaf show since May. I’ve been a fan of the band since 2003-ish (?) but haven’t seen them live until the first May show at the Highline Ballroom. The band opened for The [...]
    3 days ago
  • Stone Country – Love Psalm


    Iron LegAuthority Authority: 112
    Stone Country Listen – Stone Country – Love Psalm – MP3 Greetings all. This week I’d like to close things out with a record that is a very recent – and happy – discovery for me. If you follow all things Iron Leg you’ll already be aware that I am a huge fan of the music coming out ...
    4 days ago
  • Noise Pop 2010 Festival dates & early artist confirmations announced


    ReadJunk.comAuthority Authority: 438
    The 18th Annual Noise Pop Festival will take place February 23 through March 1, 2010. Industry Noise will take place on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at the Swedish American Hall. The bands announced for the festival so far include: Magnetic Fields, Mark Kozelek, Rogue Wave, Atlas Sound, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, ...
    4 days ago
  • Joan Armatrading – Down To Zero


    too sweet for rock and roll - music birthdays blogged dailyAuthority Authority: 151
    Joan Armatrading , St. Kitts-born English singer Tagged: December 9 birthdays, folk rock, Joan Armatrading, rock, singer-songwriters
    5 days ago
  • Music Video: Bob Dylan – “Must Be Santa”


    ReadJunk.comAuthority Authority: 438
    Bob Dylan recently released a Christmas album called “Christmas In The Heart.” Judging by the wackiness & awesomeness of this video, I might just have to get this album! The video is for “Must Be Santa,” which sounds like a straight up Pogues song! Bob Dylan and the Pogues, now that would be an excellent ...
    5 days ago
  • She & Him’s Volume 2 album coming out March 23rd 2010


    ReadJunk.comAuthority Authority: 438
    She & Him have announced that their second album, Volume Two, will be released on March 23rd, 2010. Written by Zooey (She) and produced by M.Ward (Him), Volume Two is the follow up to the duo’s critically acclaimed debut, Volume One. The album includes eleven original tracks and two covers – “Ridin’ In My ...
    6 days ago
  • The Swell Season Brings Strict Joy


    Movie Reviews | Music Reviews | Behind the HypeAuthority Authority: 130
    The duo of The Swell Season (Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová) gained their fame partly from starring in the 2007 film Once, but even more for impressively snagging an Academy Award for best original song (Falling Slowly) in said film. The romance ultimately didn’t last, but rather than ending their recording ...
    1 week ago
  • Harry Chapin – Mail Order Annie


    too sweet for rock and roll - music birthdays blogged dailyAuthority Authority: 151
    Harry Chapin , American singer and songwriter (d. 1981) Tagged: Congressional Gold Medal recipient, folk rock, Harry Chapin, singer-songwriter
    1 week ago
  • Damien Rice – Cannonball


    too sweet for rock and roll - music birthdays blogged dailyAuthority Authority: 151
    Damien Rice , Irish musician Tagged: contemporary singer-songwriter, Damien Rice, December 7 birthdays, folk rock, indie
    1 week ago
  • PLASTICSOUL


    THE POWER OF POPAuthority Authority: 131
    PLASTICSOUL Peacock Swagger (Self-released) A little bit of pop trivia before we begin. “Plastic Soul” is of course, a term originally coined by an unknown black musician to describe Mick Jagger. Paul McCartney cited it as an influence on the album title of Rubber Soul. Whilst David Bowie described his excursions ...
    1 week ago
  • DESERTERS


    THE POWER OF POPAuthority Authority: 131
    DESERTERS Pale Morning (Popboomerang) Not to be confused with the Malaysian band of the same name, these Deserters are Aussies. However, like their Malaysian counterparts, the Oz Deserters managed to combine heartfelt melodies with a roots rock sensibility that is always pleasurable. Perhaps Pale Morning channels ...
    1 week ago
  • RIP: Liam Clancy (of The Clancy Brothers)


    ReadJunk.comAuthority Authority: 438
    Legendary Irish folk balladeer Liam Clancy has passed away at the age of 74. Liam Clancy was the last surviving member of The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem. Irish music (and music in general) has lost a gifted and legendary performer, but the Clancy Brothers music will live on. Now it’s time to salute Liam [...]
    1 week ago
  • The Flying Burrito Brothers – Christine’s Tune


    too sweet for rock and roll - music birthdays blogged dailyAuthority Authority: 151
    Hillman, pictured right Chris Hillman , American singer ( The Byrds ) Tagged: bluegrass, Chris Hillman, classic rock, country, country rock, folk rock, rock, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, singer-songwriters, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers
    1 week ago
  • Greenland is Melting joins Paper + Plastick and gives their album away for free!


    ReadJunk.comAuthority Authority: 438
    Paper + Plastick is proud to announce the addition of Gainesville’s folk/bluegrass trio Greenland is Melting to its growing roster. With the band’s P+P debut set for release on vinyl early next year, the label is giving away the new album Our Hearts are Gold, Our Grass is Blue for free here.“We are super [...]
    1 week ago
  • Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers and Carbon Leaf – Bowery Ballroom, NYC


    ReadJunk.comAuthority Authority: 438
    Date: November 28th 2009For the last 3 years, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers have played New York City on Thanksgiving weekend. I decided to check out their show since one of my favorite bands was opening for them, Carbon Leaf. The bands played over 2 nights at Bowery Ballroom. I wasn’t going to dare New [...]
    2 weeks ago
  • Today’s Vegetable: You Don’t Own Me, But I’ll Take Your Lead Down A Gnarly Thicket In The Trees


    Hello VegetablesAuthority Authority: 127
    Those of you aware of my pack-it-in-and-move-to-North-Carolina years and my back-to-the-land fantasies have probably already figured out that I love Bowerbirds, two of whom live in a solar-powered Airstream an hour outside of Raleigh, NC. That’s about enough to sell me, but fortunately their songs are gorgeous and ...
    2 weeks ago
  • Ainara Legardon - Forgive Me If I Dont Come Home To Sleep Tonight (2009)


    .Authority Authority: 128
    01. Weightless 02. Sickness 03. The Death Most Desired 04. Your Own Dirt 05. The Third 06. The Morning Of The Earthquake 07. I won´t Forget 08. Knowing 09. Stained Sounds Country : Spain Genre : Folk, Rock, Acoustic Label : Winslow Lab Ainara has always been the most intimate of artists. Listening to her ...
    2 weeks ago
  • Iron Leg Digital Trip #29 – How To Pop!!!!


    Iron LegAuthority Authority: 112
    Iron Leg Digital Trip #29 – How To Pop!!!! Playlist Archies – Melody Hill (Calendar) Candymen – Ways (ABC) Turtles – Sound Asleep (White Whale) Lee Mallory – Many Are the Times (Valiant) Love Generation – The Love In Me (Imperial) Merry Go Round – Early In the Morning (A&M) Mark Eric – ...
    2 weeks ago
  • The Mamas and the Papas – Monday Monday


    too sweet for rock and roll - music birthdays blogged dailyAuthority Authority: 151
    Denny Doherty , Canadian singer ( The Mamas and the Papas ) (d. 2007) Tagged: Denny Doherty, folk rock, Grammy winners, November 29 birthdays, psychedelic rock, rock, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Mamas and the Papas
    2 weeks ago

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