American roots music, also known as Americana music, can be challenging to categorize, spanning the genres of jazz, bluegrass, country, blues, rock and roll, and an assortment of variations in between. In The Downhome Sound, Mandi Bates Bailey explores the messages, artists, community, and appeal of this seemingly disparate musical collective. To understand the art form's intended meanings and typical audiences, she analyzes lyrics and interviews Americana artists, journalists, and festival organizers to uncover a desire for inclusion and diversity. Bailey also conducts an experiment to assess listener reception relative to more commercial forms of music. The result is an in-depth study of the political and cultural influence of Americana and its implications for social justice.
"Using a sophisticated mixed-methods approach, Bailey elevates our understanding of Americana music, its culture and community, and the power of roots music on unfamiliar listeners. An excellent read."
Adolphus G. Belk Jr., coeditor of For the Culture: Hip-Hop and the Fight for Social Justic
"The Downhome Sound is extraordinary in its commitment to drawing attention to Americana's Black roots. This is an invaluable sourcebook on Americana music and a refreshing read on how it resonates as a quintessentially American experience that was born and bred in rurality, racism, poverty, and resilience."
H. L. T. Quan, author of Growth against Democracy: Savage Developmentalism in the Modern W
