Which Side Are You On?

About this book

Which Side Are You On?--the title is drawn from a well-known topical song from the 1930s--includes chapters and sections on the Lomaxes, Harry Smith, the little-known Lawrence Gellert, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, the Weavers, the Kingston Trio, Dave Van Ronk, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, Nickel Creek, and others. Weissman considers these personalities with insight and candor. Although he writes as a historian, as a participant in the folk music revival he has seen it all from the inside and includes personal anecdotes that are always revealing. Weissman also explores the folk music business in depth--how it works, where the power really lies, how the artists have been manipulated and often exploited, as well as the mysterious dynamic between artist and audience [Publisher description]