{"product_id":"which-side-are-you-on-an-inside-history-of-the-folk-music-revival-in-america","title":"Which Side Are You On?: An Inside History of the Folk Music Revival in America","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1932 Florence Reece  the wife of a Kentucky coal miner  wrote one of the classic topical songs preserved in the folk musical revival. The song  \"Which Side Are You On? \" contrasts the lot of the working class and the bosses  and asks the listener to choose. This politically charged song was performed again during the Civil Rights Movement  with its lyrics appropriate to the 1960s. It was recorded more recently by Billy Bragg. Indeed  the story of this song might serve as a microcosm of the entire history of the folk music revival. Dick Weissman  former member of the Journeymen and a musician still releasing CDs of his original compositions  brings his personal and professional involvement to this definitive history. Which Side Are You On? includes chapters and sections on the Lomaxes  Harry Smith  the little known Lawrence Gellert  Woody Guthrie  Josh White  Leadbelly  Pete Seeger  groups such as the Weavers and the Kingston Trio  Dave Van Ronk  Bob Dylan  Joan Baez  Paul Simon  Joni Mitchell  Judy Collins  Mary Chapin Carpenter  Natalie Merchant  Ani Difranco  Bela Fleck  Nickel Creek  the Indigo Girls  and many others. Which Side Are You On? also explores the folk music business in depth: how it all works  where the power really lies  how the artists have been manipulated and often exploited  the dynamic between artist and audience. Though he writes as a historian  Weissman also has seen it all from the inside  and includes anecdotes that are both funny and poignant: My friend and guitarist-singer Artie Traum took care of one of two houses that Bob Dylan owned in Woodstock  some thirty five years ago. The house had thirty seven rooms! Artie was instructed not to give out Dylans phone number to any caller. The first caller was Joan Baez  and Artie followed instructions  calling Dylan at the other house to relay the call. During Arties house-sitting chores  I visited him. He took me on a brief tour of the house. In one room were sacks of mail. We randomly opened a half-dozen letters. The one that I remember was by a female fan in North Dakota. She had been to a Dylan concert and reminded him that they had met. There was something touching though pathetic about the letter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44965370986549,"sku":"ByrdShop_0826416985","price":54.34,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780826416988.jpg?v=1770494478","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/which-side-are-you-on-an-inside-history-of-the-folk-music-revival-in-america","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}