The Never-Ending Revival: Rounder Records and the Folk Alliance

The American folk music revival of the mid-20th Century is an interesting topic. There are all sorts of factors that inspired and influenced it, and this book takes an interesting angle—pointing to the influence of Rounder Records and the American Folk Alliance. The story told in this book is a captivating one, but the book itself may be a bit laborious for casual readers simply interested in the evolution of the movement.

The Never-Ending Revival tells the story of the roots music revolution of the 1950s and '60s, placing the music of the era in the context of the times. The author uses the book's introduction to define American folk music, and distinguish its purist definition from that of the phrase as it evolved during—and beyond— the "revival." Then, he moves on to tell the story of the early days of Rounder Records, the motivation behind the label's founding, and the emergence of the American Folk Alliance.

It's an interesting story, and it offers great context and history for folks who may be interested in learning more about the revival. It may be even more appreciated by students, teachers, and armchair folklorists, as it offers a greater depth than called for by the average music fan.

The story begins as the author attends one of the vibrant and exhaustive meetings of the American Folk Alliance, marveling at the various loose definitions of "folk music" and "folk artists." He's careful to distinguish the contemporary acoustic and topical singer-songwriter from the tradition of folk music that so fueled the early revival (and the early days of Rounder Records): indigenous music created for cultural preservation, not for profit.

There is a lot to be fascinated about when it comes to the popularization of the various styles of folk music. Indeed, it has become a thing most people think of as being personified in the solo singer-songwriter. As Scully adeptly shows, there was much more to the revival than the Dylanesque troubadours so often featured at the folk music festivals of today.

Scully's in-depth study of the influence of these two organizations opens up intriguing channels toward better understanding the cultural implications of this musical movemnet. The Never-Ending Revival is well worth a read for artists and industry types, but may be a slow read for those who are casually interested in the history of American folk music.