Amuma Says No. Traditional and contemporary Basque music, songs, and dance from Idaho. Recorded at the Library of Congress, July 14, 2010. Photo by Megan Halsband. Select the link for more information and to view the webcast.
Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington and Wyoming
There are many opinions about which states constitute the northwestern region of the United States. It is an area of very diverse geological and geographical features, ranging from the vast farm and cattle cultures of Wyoming and Montana to seaport cities such as Seattle and Tacoma on the Pacific coast. Farming cultures supported by abundant rainfall, fishing industries, and significant mining interests are part of the culture of the northwest region. Oregon and Washington have grown steadily over several decades, and their largest cities (Portland and Seattle, respectively) have increased in wealth and prominence. The diverse ethnic groups of this region include Basques, who began sheepherding in this region in the 1840s, strong Southeast Asian communites, particularly on the coast, African Americans who migrated west after emancipation, and Scandanavians who came to the region from the northeastern United States and from Canada, among others. By the 1940s both Portland and Seattle hosted locally owned and operated commercial recording studios catering to local performers, and encouraging what would soon become a robust local music scene. During the 1950s and 1960s, Portland and Seattle studios were prominent in producing nationally popular hits such as The Fleetwoods' "Come Softly to Me"; (1959) Jimmie Rodgers's "Honeycomb" (1965), and both the Kingsmen's and Paul Revere and the Raiders' versions of "Louie, Louie"; (1963). This trend continues to the current day; the Northwest region has become especially known for alternative rock, and local bands, such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Everclear, and Alice in Chains have achieved international fame. 1
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Songs
- Sreevidhya Chandramouli. Vina music from Southern India, with songs sung in Sanscrit. Sreevidhya Cbadramouli is a recent immigrant to the United States, and lives with her family in Oregon. ( webcast)
- Amuma Says No: Traditional and Contemporary Basque music from Idaho. (webcast)
- "About the Looks of a Girl," sung in Icelandic by Sigurd Bardarson. Sigurd was the father of Otto Bardarson, and lived in Washington State. Recorded in California by Sidney Robertson Cowell in 1940. (audio)
- "Heimforin til Islands – 1930" (A trip home to Iceland, 1930)
sung in Icelandic by Otto Bardarson. Otto was the son of Sigurd Bardarson, and lived in Washinton State. He was recorded in California by Sidney Robertson Cowell in 1939. (audio)
- "Way Out in Idaho," performed by Blaine Stubblefield. This is a railroad song that refers to working on the "narrow gauge," that is, the Utah and Northern Railway. Recorded at the Library of Congress by Alan Lomax, 1938. (audio)
- "Arrah go on, I'm gonna go back to Oregon," a popular song performed by the Peerless Quartet. Victor recording, 1916. (audio)
- Cowboy poet Paul Zarzyski and cowboy singer-composer Wylie Gustafson from Montana (webcast)
- The Bar J Wranglers: Cowboy Music from Wyoming (webcast)