Masters of Tradition

Of the more than 400 master folk and traditional artists who have received the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, over 100 of them are Smithsonian Folkways Recordings artists, many of whom have participated in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival numerous times.

The following playlists, curated and compiled by respected experts in their fields, capture the rich array of musical styles and cultural stories—from Texas Mexican conjunto to Cajun fiddling, from African American blues to Appalachian ballads—that characterize the American experience.