Some of you loyal readers may have taken note as of late the inclusion of dates naming John and Alan Lomax in RHT's "Today In Rock History" and their relationship with blues legends such as Leadbelly and Muddy Waters in the early 20th century. I've taken a great interest in uncovering exactly who these gentlemen were, and why they are of great import. What I've come up with is more questions than answers, however.
John Lomax, and his son Alan were preservationists of American folk music, first and foremost. John Lomax, a Texan, was particularly interested in cowboy songs but through a relationship with a black man early in life also had a curiosity in the folk songs of that culture as well. During The Great Depression, being an unemployed banker & former professor sought funding from the U.S. government to pursue his dream of cataloging American folk music. Whether or not his obsession was born out of a need to preserve American folk songs or repudiate claims of European scholars that all folk traditions are born of experiences passed down from the "motherland" and not learned from current situation is debatable. Lomax's son Alan would soon join his father as they were funded by the Library of Congress to record and catalog the music of the South, most notably that of Black America. During their travels, it is well documented their relationship with the legendary Leadbelly, whom they "discovered" at Angola Prison in Louisiana. The Lomaxes would make countless recordings of soon to be revered names such as Jelly Roll Morton, Woody Guthrie, Muddy Waters, etc.
It is troublesome as you read more into what the Lomaxes accomplished that while their intentions were good, somewhere they may have strayed from their mission in some respects, especially John Lomax. His relationship with Leadbelly became somewhat a travelling circus & side show, something I'm sure Lomax regretted in hindsight as he had become Leadbelly's "manager" and took him out on tour. Also, as earlier stated it is really unclear what the "end goal" was of the Lomax's odyssey. Was it solely to preserve or to prove a point that American folk music was born in America as a result of the trials & tribulations of everyday life? It is for certain that they were more in depth & thorough than anyone ever before their time in seeking out the roots of American music. It is also certain that Alan Lomax had the foresight to recognize their findings were the source of Rock & Roll music that was to take over not only America, but the world. An avenue also interesting to explore would be the rise of "protest songs" in the early 20th century and the Lomax's relationship with the genre. There were strong ties to Woody Guthrie & Pete Seeger, and Alan Lomax was investigated quite a lot by the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover for his "leftist" views and relationships.
Also confusing is the lack "preservation" of the Lomax works. Neither has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, although Alan Lomax did receive the National Medal of Arts from President Reagan in 1986 and a Grammy Trustees Award for lifetime achievement in 2003. John and Alan Lomax are indeed an enigma, and I'm hopeful more will come out on their studies in the future. It would make for an intriguing motion picture on it's own, even though some of the selections from O! Brother Where Art Thou? were Lomax folk findings.
If you are interested in reading more on the subject, instead of my ramblings, I suggest you read this article I found which does the topic far more justice than I ever could: Our Singing Country: John and Alan Lomax, Leadbelly, and The Construction of an American Past by Benjamin Filene, 1991.
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