Roots Music

I've taken up the study of roots music and passing it along to young, new music students. Concerned these days about a lack of American heritage being available. As a society, we're jabbering about diversity of incoming immigrant populations, but neglecting assimilation.

In Los Angeles, Babel has risen with this polyglot of languages of the newly-arrived. They splinter the city into various small ethnic enclaves. One can literally spend the day out and about and 80% of the time never hearing the English language spoken. I say that and many will remark, "how cool..."

Hardly.

We're gaining diversity, but losing our own heritage. It should be passed along to immigrants. We can start with song. American folk songs. I've worked with many, many immigrant children who have never heard even the most common of our American song. Songs we take for granted, but would never do without as part of our own childhood.

Music is neglected in their schools as well. Most are public school students and music always faces severe budget cuts or neglect in favor of math and science studies. Politicans, school boards and "education experts" are misleading us on almost all fronts, including this one.

Roots music is scattered with American gospel and religious hymns. These are also shunned by public systems like schools, and government-sponsored cultural programs, because of that distasteful subject to many - religion.

The simple, three and four chord structure of most American folk musics make for great teaching tools. For generations, music was passed along on the front porches of Americans in community music circles just by listening and attempting to play-along. Using this method of teaching makes for good community building and efforts in decreasing loneliness and combating depression prevalent in our present society of shallowness, celebrity worship and narcississm.