Back in the Days

Blog-15

Pat Bc

11.29.11

Reviewing the influence of Lomax in the lives of Leadbelly, and Pete Seeger you can see the functions of privilege and performance.  Both Leadbelly and Seeger performed  folk music however the role of dominance limited the performance of one yet granted full privilege  to another ( Filene, Romancing the Folk, Public Memory, American Roots Music, 2000).  Leadbelly’s performance was influenced by Lomax’s view of African American /Black males.  While he sought to expose the country to roots music he also marginalized and exploited Leadbelly by using his stint in prison to draw attention to his music.  Lomax  actually colonized him through his acts of subordination within his home.

     

However, Lomax extended great privilege  and education to Pete Seeger to capture his own  authentic style of roots performance bringing about a cult.  Lomax had an eye for the reality of life which he captured through his use of technology which expanded the performance of music into a cult of authenticity throughout the country and world to.  Without the memories lived in the music of Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie,  Pete Seeger’s performance  may not have spread to influence others. 

Folk music is passed on and the performance is shaped by the points of entry from the  memory of the old to the new American life at that time (Cantwell, When We Were Good:  The Folk Revival, 1988).  Leadbelly’s performance spoke of  his memories of the hard times and segregation of the South.   Leadbelly’s narratives helped to lend more reality to his  performance prior to Civil Rights, then  Pete Seeger’s performance shaped by war and the jubilant return of war stirred up a new patriotism that revived the hopes of American people.  Dylan’s songs  performed  for his generation through the  latest technology and lyrics to move the consciousness of people through a new period of change in America  that continues today. (Marcus, Like A Rolling Stone:  Bob Dylan at the Crossroads, 2005).