1. About the Database

American Song is a history database that will contain 50,000 tracks that allows people to hear and feel the music from America's past. The database will include songs by and about American Indians, miners, immigrants, slaves, children, pioneers, and cowboys. Included in the database are the songs of Civil Rights, political campaigns, Prohibition, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, anti-war protests and more.

The first release includes music from many labels, including Rounder Records, McNeil Music, Native Ground Music, Rebel Records, County Records, Smithsonian Folkways, and Document Records. American Song will become the definitive source for American roots music and pre-1960 American popular music. It encompasses the great American musical genres including country, folk, bluegrass, Western, old time, American Indian, blues, gospel, and shape note singing - combined with powerful recordings by artists such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Si Kahn, Lead Belly, Sleepy LaBeef, the New Lost City Ramblers, Otis Clay, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Nanci Griffith, The Lilly Brothers, Merle Travis, and many others.

Liner notes to all the albums are included (in PDF format) as well as static URLs to each track and album in the database.

Future additions include music from King/Starday Records. Content is added on a regular basis, and exciting new materials will be highlighted on the home page, so please check back regularly for updates.

2. Acknowledgments

At Alexander Street Press, the following people have been instrumental in the development of the collection:

• Andrea Eastman-Mullins
• Christina Chamberlain
• David Vaughn
• Greg Knapp
• Joanna Koslowsky
• John Field
• Liz Dutton
• Paul Dixon
• Stephen Rhind-Tutt
• Tim Lloyd
• W. Gerard Poole
• Will Whalen
• Xochitl Tafoya
• Young Park