Folk & Bluegrass

The musician began playing piano at an early age and could read music before she could read print. Collins joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to talk about her early training, her move to New York, and how she got into the folk scene.

Husband and wife Doug and Frankie Quimby lead the group Georgia Sea Island Singers, which preserves the local Gullah culture.

Tom Goodkind, Lauren Agnelli, and Bruce Paskow comprise the band The Washington Squares. They play acoustic music that blends parody and socially conscious messages.

The singer and guitar player muses on the origins and definitions of folks music, his approach to writing children's songs, and the rigors of having been a traveling musician for over two decades.

Roger "Jim" McGuinn was the leader of the folk-rock group The Byrds whose hits include "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn." McGuinn is the one constant member of the group which has gone several personnel changes, including the departures of David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Gram Parsons. McGuinn has also released several solo albums. McGuinn brings his guitar to the studio to share both Byrd hits and new music.

Blues and bluegrass musician David Bromberg worked as a side member in many jazz and folk bands before striking out as a solo act. Bromberg is a multi-instrumentalist, who focuses on the guitar. He joins the show to discuss his career and play live. (Interview by Bob Carlin )

In between a series of odd jobs, the two folk musicians made a living performing across the country before settling down in Philadelphia. They join Fresh Air to showcase the kind of energetic music they can make with their traditional instruments.

The folk singer joins Fresh Air to talk about how she made a career as a musician after the breakup of her marriage. She performs some of her songs a cappella in studio.

The Scottish musician performed with the folk band Silly Wizard, which developed a loyal following in Europe and the United States. Now based in rural Pennsylvania, he has embarked on a solo career. He performs some traditional tunes in-studio and previews music from a forthcoming album.

Aboriginal Australian musicians perform some of their traditional songs and talk about music's role in their culture. Two scholars discuss recent efforts to promote and preserve this culture.

Folk singer and composer Tom Paxton is known for his work as a musician in the Greenwich Village of the 1960s, where many of his songs became standards at the clubs in the area. His latest album is "The Paxton Report," and is full of topical songs about such subjects as nuclear power and the ERA. Paxton also brings his guitar for an in-studio concert.

Ronee Blakely is an actress, singer, and pianist. She is best known for her role in the Robert Altman film "Nashville." In the film, her character, a country music star is assassinated. Many have referenced the scene of her death in discussing the murder of John Lennon. Blakely has also worked with Bob Dylan with the Rolling Thunder Review and on the film "Renaldo and Clara." She describes her personal style as "new wave country." She joins the show to discuss her career.

Joe Klein has written a biography of folk musician Woody Guthrie. He joins the show to discuss Guthrie's life, career, and family. His book is titled "Woody Guthrie: A Life."

Holly Near is a folk musician, actress, and activist. He joins the show to discuss her life career, and politics.

Guitarist and composer Dave Van Ronk discusses folk music, his jazz and blues influences, and the folk scene of the 1960s.

Gambian folk musician Bai Konte discusses how he both learned and now teaches the kora, a West African 21-string lute. He performs along with his son Dembo Konte and anthropologists and musicians Marc and Susan Pevar. Filmmaker Oliver Franklin, who made a movie Bai Konte, also joins the conversation.

Winnie Winston is a pedal steel guitar player, composer, and music teacher. He discusses his latest album "Steel Wool."