Folklorists and archivists such as John and Alan Lomax have made entire careers taking trips across the U.S. (and around the world) in order to record musicians and storytellers in the field, preserving songs and stories in a much more raw, 'authentic' state than usually found on commercial records. These field recordings are done on front porches, in grimy dance halls, at prisons, or in actual, well, fields. Some artists (such as Leadbelly) have wound up becoming legends, while others are simply local singers who remain little known.

Notable Artists: Leadbelly, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Vera Hall