Beneath picturesque views of Los Angeles’ sunny Santa Monica Mountains, Smithsonian supporters and Friends of Folkways joined together this spring to connect at the first-ever Friends of Folkways event.
To kick off the gathering on April 28, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings director and curator Maureen Loughran hosted a brunch in the Getty Center’s beautiful hilltop restaurant. Folkways Advisory Board member and recording artist Martha González, singer and percussionist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Quetzal, was also in attendance. Over a delicious meal, attendees shared their reasons for joining Friends of Folkways. Guests were excited to hear of upcoming Folkways projects. The group found common ground in their love of traditional music and the preservation of cultural heritage.
“We were excited to hear about their own connections to Folkways over the years,” shared Loughran, who emphasized the critical impact of donors’ support.
Friends of Folkways is a membership program that allows listeners to support the label’s work on an ongoing basis. The program launched in May 2023 alongside the celebration of Folkways Records’ seventy-fifth anniversary. One of few nonprofit labels in operation today, Smithsonian Folkways houses over 4,000 albums from around the world in its catalog, which the label is dedicated to keeping continually in print.
Donations from Friends of Folkways make it possible for Smithsonian Folkways to continue advocating for underrepresented cultures, artists, and traditions; to remain independent; and to continue releasing world-class recordings from a diverse roster of musicians. With a recurring donation of at least $5 a month, participants directly support the label’s mission and artists and gain access to unlimited streaming of the available catalog.
Following the brunch, guests enjoyed a free concert in the Getty’s Harold M. Williams Auditorium as part of the annual Sounds of L.A. series, co-presented by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and curated by Festival director Sabrina Lynn Motley. The show celebrated the legacy of early American music with captivating performances by GRAMMY-winning Folkways artist Dom Flemons, as well as Sharde Thomas and the Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band.
The first-of-its-kind meetup provided a chance to form real-life connections and bring together like-minded music lovers. The Folkways team is planning to host another event at the Getty this November. Become a Friend of Folkways to secure your invitation.
Sophie Sachar is a marketing assistant at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
