Lomax: Collectors of Folk Songs

In 1933, folklorists John (1867-1948) and Alan (1915-2002) Lomax roamed the southern United States in search of songs. Equipped with a portable tape recorder, the father-and-son team visited churches, plantations, and penitentiaries to seek out and record the raw, authentic sound of American folk music. Among those they found were the bluesmen Muddy Waters and Son House, and the ex-con folk singer Lead Belly. From ballads to work songs, ragtime to blues, the songs collected by the Lomax family on this and subsequent expeditions formed an archive that preserved the heritage of American folk music. More than that, these "field recordings" changed the course of popular music, influencing the blues-driven rock 'n' roll of the 1950s and the folk revival of the 1960s. Frantz Duchazeau's graphic novel is at once a fascinating portrait of 1930s America and a captivating story about a father and son who, despite many differences in outlook and approach, were united by a commitment to cultural preservation and a passion for music.