Lately, I've been taking the opportunity to delve into the lives and careers of some of the most important, influential, and even sometimes-famous families who have helped to shape American folk music. First, I looked at the Guthries, as they've sprung from the life and work of troubadour pioneer Woody Guthrie. Next up was the Seeger Family, fronted by a pair of composers and musicologists, which produced some of the most influential folksingers and pickers of the 20th Century.
This week, however, I delved even deeper and pulled up the legacy of the Carter Family. Most famously known for their influence on country music, the Carters actually managed to immensely influence the advent of American folk music and the singer-songwriter tradition. It's widely known that Woody Guthrie borrowed the melody for "This Land Is Your Land" from a Carter Family recording. That alone is enough reason to look further into the influence of country music's first family on the evolution of folk music.
Let's start at the family's most recent contribution - singer-songwriter Carlene Carter who was the daughter of June Carter's marriage to Carl Smith. Learn more about what has shaped Carlene's life and work with this brief bio and profile. Learn more about the Carter Family here.
photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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