New Jersey Folk Revival Music (Hybrid)

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Author Michael Gabriele will present a program on April 27 at the East Brunswick Public Library that will trace the living history and traditions of New Jersey folk revival music, based on his 2016 book published by The History Press. This program coincides with the annual New Jersey Folk Festival, which will be held on the campus of Rutgers University on Saturday, April 30.

New Jersey helped to shape folk music into an American art form. The earliest recordings of folk music occurred in Camden: traditional Appalachian songs transcribed by folklorist Cecil Sharp. Camden also was the place where legendary American artists, such as Woody Guthrie, Paul Robeson, Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, made their first commercial records.

The Garden State’s Pine Barrens became a magical realm for traditional music, dating back to the 1700s. Sammy Giberson emerged as a legendary fiddle player in the mid-1800s. Folk music, bluegrass music, and variations of these forms evolved over the years in New Jersey coffeehouses, concert halls, and community events organized by local cultural organizations, leading up to the 1975 launch of the New Jersey Folk Festival.

Co-sponsored by the EB Friends of the Library and EB Arts Commission.

This program will NOT be recorded.