The American Folk Song
Although the American heritage is influence by many cultures from around the world, American folk and popular music are built primarily on the foundation of African and British Isles influences. Using some of our best-loved folk songs as examples, Mark’s engaging stories trace these songs through decades of American history and show how the songs changed with the social issues of the day. With guitar, banjo, and other instruments, this program offers a slice of Americana, featuring songs, oral history, demonstrations, and the music of universally-recognized artists like Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie, with a special focus on Illinois folk artists like Win Stracke, Fleming Brown, and Big Bill Broonzy.
Since 1981, Mark Dvorak has performed across nearly all of the United States in concerts, festivals, community-based programs, school programs, and more. He has been called a folk singer’s folk singer who has an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional songs. Mark has been teaching at the Old Town School of Folk Music since 1986, where he presents group instruction programs and master classes.
