Folk Files

20/12/2023

Here we go a-wassailing! Explore the old, wild, wonderful world of wassailing in this special holiday episode of Folk Files, now available on all podcast platforms.

A podcast that uncovers the mysteries of folk music throughout the ages

19/12/2023

Can you say "wassailing song from Wales" five times fast? This video, originally posted on the Winter Solstice in 2020, is one of the main reasons why I started the Folk Files podcast. I was delighted by how many people were as interested in the story behind the song as I was. To hear the full Gower Wassail and a lot more facts about wassailing, tune into tomorrow's brand new episode (set to release at 12pm ET on all podcast platforms!).

18/12/2023

When creating Folk Files, I specifically wanted each episode to be bite-sized and easily digestible, hovering around 20-25 minutes long. That meant that I had to be really selective when choosing what to talk about for Wednesday's holiday episode. England alone has hundreds of interesting December folk traditions. For example, did you know that there is a whole subset of songs about the wren, the "king of all birds," that are traditionally sung on St. Stephen's Day (December 26th)?

14/12/2023

On Wednesday December 20th, a special holiday episode of Folk Files will be released. Get ready to go a-wassailing!

13/12/2023

In next week's episode, we'll discuss the difference between caroling and wassailing. Hmm...I wonder why Puritans and Victorians didn't like wassailing...

12/12/2023

A huge thank you to the listener who reached out to gift me these two books for my research - I'm so excited to jump in! Murder Ballad Book Club, anyone? 🤓

09/12/2023

For this month's episode of Folk Files, I'm going back in time over 1000 years to find the origins of wassailing. It was a great excuse to revisit Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf. How did a term that was used as an Old English greeting become almost synonymous with "caroling"? Follow the snowy footsteps with me later this month to find out.

05/12/2023

For more fun facts about folk music, listen to Folk Files!

29/11/2023

Google Podcasts has entered the chat! You should now be able to find Folk Files on every major podcasting platform (need a link? Check the comments!). If you can't find it wherever you listen to podcasts, send me a DM!

23/11/2023

Today, I highly recommend this excellent episode on Native American folk music from the podcast Ben Franklin's World. Our guide for the episode is Chad Hamill, an ethnomusicologist, professor of Applied Indigenous Studies, and Spokane tribal descendent. Listen here:

An episode on early American music.

19/11/2023

Thank you so much, Easterly Westerly! 😭😭😭 And thank you to everyone who's reached out with your thoughts on the podcast! If you happen to have an extra minute, it would be super helpful if you could leave a review. Apple Podcasts makes it especially easy to write a review, but any platform would be greatly appreciated!

17/11/2023

The first episode of Folk Files, which delves into the history of "Health to the Company," is now live on most podcast platforms (though Google's being slow - it should be on Google Podcasts by 11/21!). If you can't find Folk Files on your favorite listening platform, drop a comment or send a DM and I'll add it there!

15/11/2023

You can now listen to the first episode of Folk Files! Head to the link in the comments to find Folk Files on your favorite podcast platform.

14/11/2023

Here's a chapter list for the first episode of Folk Files, which will be available starting tomorrow afternoon (11/15)! The main song for this episode is "Health to the Company," but the twists and turns in the history of that song will also lead us to "The Parting Glass" and "If I Was a Blackbird". You can expect an announcement here when the episode is officially released!

13/11/2023

This weekend I attended a conversation called "Making Records with Folkways" at the Brooklyn Folk Festival with Peter K. Siegel, a record producer for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. I learned that throughout history, the pendulum has moved back and forth regarding the importance and specificity of genre. In the early days of recording American folk, old time music, blues, bluegrass, and country could all exist on one album. A few decades later, they were strictly segregated by genre. Now, the lines are a little blurrier again, which makes me feel better about starting a podcast that is very generally dedicated to folk music!

11/11/2023

I’m spending this weekend at the Brooklyn Folk Festival! Head to my story to see some of the highlights.

09/11/2023

Three folk songs will be discussed on the first episode of Folk Files (the featured song, and two intertwined bonus songs). This picture is a clue to two of them. Any guesses? 🤓

08/11/2023

This is the first question that we'll tackle in this introductory episode of Folk Files. It's a tricky one, and there's not really a correct answer...what's YOUR definition?

07/11/2023

Hi! I’m the host of Folk Files, Olivia Harding! I have been a folk musician for about 15 years, and I have studied early modern music and performance extensively. I perform with the band Music the Gathering (and a couple other not-so-folksy groups!). I am passionate about music history, and I’m excited to share the first episode of Folk Files with all of you! (Also, I have large hands 👋🏻).

05/11/2023

The first episode of Folk Files drops November 15th!

31/10/2023

Welcome to Folk Files, a podcast hosted by Olivia Harding that seeks to uncover the mysteries of folk music throughout the ages and dive deep into the tangled history of murder ballads, sea shanties, rebel songs, and other music that has withstood the test of time!