I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival

I Got a Song chronicles the history and evolution of the Newport Folk Festival from its founding in 1959 through its present-day incarnation. Drawing on interviews with performers, organizers and attendees, author Rick Massimo reconstructs key moments and musical milestones from the festival's six-decade run. The book traces how Newport became an essential gathering place for the folk music movement, hosting landmark performances by icons like Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan. Through archival research and firsthand accounts, it documents the festival's role in launching careers, fostering collaboration between artists, and capturing pivotal shifts in American music and culture. The narrative moves through different eras of Newport, from its early focus on traditional folk to its embrace of new musical forms and its temporary shutdown in the 1970s to its revival in the 1980s. Beyond music, Massimo examines the festival's involvement in civil rights activism and its navigation of changing times. This deep dive into Newport's legacy reveals how one summer gathering became a mirror for American social movements and musical innovation. The festival's story parallels larger cultural transformations, showing the intersection of art, commerce, and social change across generations.

Readers appreciate the book's oral history format and first-hand accounts from festival organizers, performers, and attendees. Many note the detailed coverage of Bob Dylan's controversial 1965 electric performance and the festival's evolution through different musical eras. Readers highlight the behind-the-scenes business details and organizational challenges of running the festival. Multiple reviews mention the value of hearing Pete Seeger's perspective throughout. Some readers found the chronological structure repetitive and wanted more focus on specific memorable performances. A few noted the book could use more photographs. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.04/5 (23 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (11 reviews) Sample review quotes: "Thorough research and engaging interviews make this the definitive Newport Folk Festival history" - Amazon reviewer "Too much focus on administrative details rather than the music itself" - Goodreads reviewer "The oral history format brings the festival's spirit to life" - Library Journal review

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🎵 The Newport Folk Festival helped launch the careers of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Arlo Guthrie, featuring them before they became household names 🎸 The historic moment when Bob Dylan "went electric" at the 1965 festival sparked intense controversy and marked a shift in folk music, though accounts differ on whether the audience actually booed 📚 Author Rick Massimo spent six years as the music writer for the Providence Journal and conducted over 70 interviews to compile this first comprehensive history of the festival 🎪 The festival was revived in 1985 after a 15-year hiatus, and has since evolved to embrace a broader definition of "folk music," including indie rock and alternative country 🌟 Pete Seeger, one of the festival's founders, insisted that audience participation be a key component, leading to the tradition of workshop stages where musicians teach and perform with attendees