Before we even begin to tell you who we are, let us just congratulate you on making the right choice to land on the pages of this blog! Whether it is by accident or on purpose, you are here with us, and we are more than happy to welcome you to join our journey to exploring folk music.
This is an amazing opportunity to learn more not only about folk music in general but also about different cultures and peoples. After all, folk music refers to and describes the traditions of specific regions and societies around the world. In other words, by familiarizing yourself with folk music, you also get to know people whom you have never met as well as distant yet mesmerizing parts of the globe that you might not otherwise be able to visit in this lifetime.
Enough with the jibber jabber though! Let’s talk about us, the authors of this blog.
Sam, the Banjo Player
My name is Sam, and I’ve been fascinated with folk music from an early age. Originally from South Dakota in the US, I got my first sort of dummy banjo at the age of four. All I remember from that time was sitting all day long on the porch and playing in front of my two dogs.
My enthusiasm soon struck my dad, and he bought me a real banjo. It was not before long I started performing in school. As soon as I was of the appropriate age, I started playing at clubs with country, folk, and rock bands.
Nowadays, I tour North and South America as well as Europe to study native folk music. I often incorporate my findings in the pieces that I compose. Sometimes I provide my own interpretations. However, I mostly try to popularize indigenous folk music to audiences worldwide. The latter has been one of the reasons why I joined this blog. It provides the right platform for me to share the learnings from my journeys with readers from across the world.
Jonas, the Music Teacher
From the rocky cliffs of Colorado, here I come! My name is Jonas, and I teach music to third-graders. Fun, right? Joke aside, I love my job. It’s so gratifying to observe how music changes the mindset of children and makes them more open to and inquisitive about the world. That is why I love my job.
The funny thing is, unlike Sam, I never was too impressed by folk music until I started my teaching career. I am more of a hard rock and alternative guy. However, when I became a teacher, I began to look for ways to engage students of younger ages and show them the meaning of music not only as an entertainment tool but also as a way to experience the world and form a comprehensive mindset.
That is how I ended up digging and discovering the beauty and the all-encompassing nature of folk music. Eventually, I ended up creating this blog and inviting Sam to join me in writing the posts.
On behalf of both of us, I wish you a pleasant, fun, and informative stay with us!