Before artists like Bob Dylan, the Kingston Trio, and the Weavers popularized folk among hip young college kids, the music existed in many forms in the U.S.--rural old-time songs passed from family to family (and generation to generation), broadly political or satirical songs, children's tunes, minstrel songs. This is a catch-all category for folk music before it became the voice of the Sixties.

Notable Artists: Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson, the Carter Family