Center for Southern Folklore
Encyclopedia
The Center for Southern Folklore is an American
non-profit cultural organization based in Memphis
, Tennessee
. Founded in 1972 by William Ferris
and Judy Peiser
, its mission is "to preserve, defend, protect and promote the music, culture, arts, and rhythms of the South."
The Center produces documentary film
s and maintains a large archive of video and audio recordings
of music and narratives, contemporary and historical photographs, film and slides, and selected artifacts and art. The Center also has a gallery that shows regional folk art and photographs, a cafe featuring live performances by local blues
, folk
, Latin, and jazz
musician
s, and a folklore store selling art, photographs, posters, and CDs by Memphis-area musicians.
In the early 1980s, they employed Mose Vinson
to perform at special cultural festivals, and he played at concert
s plus educational and cultural events associated with the Center, until shortly before his death in 2002.
The Center also sponsors the annual Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, which is held each Labor Day
weekend.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-profit cultural organization based in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Founded in 1972 by William Ferris
William R. Ferris
William Reynolds Ferris is an American author and scholar and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities...
and Judy Peiser
Judy Peiser
Judy Peiser is co-founder and current executive director of the Center for Southern Folklore in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois and a master's degree from the University of Memphis .Peiser founded the Center for Southern Folklore in...
, its mission is "to preserve, defend, protect and promote the music, culture, arts, and rhythms of the South."
The Center produces documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
s and maintains a large archive of video and audio recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
of music and narratives, contemporary and historical photographs, film and slides, and selected artifacts and art. The Center also has a gallery that shows regional folk art and photographs, a cafe featuring live performances by local blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, Latin, and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s, and a folklore store selling art, photographs, posters, and CDs by Memphis-area musicians.
In the early 1980s, they employed Mose Vinson
Mose Vinson
Mose Vinson was an American boogie-woogie, blues and jazz pianist and singer. His best known recordings were "Blues With A Feeling" and "Sweet Root Man". Over his lengthy career, Vinson worked with various musicians including Booker T. Laury and James Cotton.-Biography:Vinson was born in Holly...
to perform at special cultural festivals, and he played at concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s plus educational and cultural events associated with the Center, until shortly before his death in 2002.
The Center also sponsors the annual Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, which is held each Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend.