A Short History of American Religious Folk Song

From the fervent camp meetings of the Great Awakening to the rise of the Shakers and Millerites, A Short History of American Religious Folk Song traces the vibrant, often turbulent history of early American religious music. Adapted from the work of pioneering scholar George Pullen Jackson, this edition explores how waves of dissent-from English Nonconformists to frontier Baptists, Free Willers, Methodists, and the "Fasola Folk"-fueled a uniquely American tradition of heartfelt, communal singing.

Jackson's lively and insightful research reveals how revivalism, itinerant preaching, and religious upheaval shaped the development of folk hymnody. Readers will encounter dramatic scenes of the Great Awakening, the spiritual migrations of groups like the Millerites, and the distinctive musical practices of the Shakers-whose simple but powerful songs became enduring parts of the American folk tradition.

The book also traces the evolution of congregational singing, from colonial psalmody to the flourishing of shape-note singing and early gospel music. It captures the tension between formal religious institutions and the spontaneous, ecstatic expressions of faith that flourished on the American frontier.

A Short History of American Religious Folk Song includes, as an appendix, Jackson's essay "Buckwheat Notes," offering a brief overview at the origins and spread of shape-note singing.

For those interested in early American religious culture, folk traditions, The Sacred Harp, or the roots of spiritual folk music, this volume brings to life a grassroots musical heritage shaped not by institutions, but by the convictions and voices of ordinary people.