Old time music is the grandparent of today's Branson-Nashville country music. It can be as simple as a banjo and fiddle or can add mandolin, bass, acoustic guitar and vocals.

It is music you can play and sing on the back porch with friends for fun, but also has its own circuit of concerts, festivals (which often go by the name "fiddlers' conventions"), and publications.

You probably won't hear old time music on the radio unless you make an effort, but you can easily hear it on the Web. That's right: you can get music over the web.

The program I host on WDVR 89.7FM in New Jersey is not webcast yet, but some of my old time music DJ colleagues can be heard with the click of a mouse and the proper audio software.

And many of the websites on our tour will offer you audio samples from CD or live recordings -- just click and listen.

Old time is the music of square dances and reels, and you can get the hoedown on those on the Web as well. Finally, if you are interested in the role of old time music in American folk culture, the Web has that covered too. Right this way.

Old-Time Music Home Page

David Lynch has put together a comprehensive page answering the question, "What is old time music anyway?" Weren't you just wondering? If you want to hit the road, get the word on some old time events, including two of the best festivals: Mount Airy, NC and Clifftop, WV.

If you prefer to stay close to home and play your own instrument, there is a list of jam sessions. There is even a Musician's Directory that will allow you to find all the serious old time musicians in any state: New Jersey has four.

A button on the home page called "Where to Find Old Time Music" is worth its own tour, but here it is in a click. Do you want to request info from -- or argue with -- the legions of old time music fans? Hit that newsgroup button.

Want to slap some disks on the old Gramophone? Well, that won't work, so go out and get a CD player. After you do, a button here will show you who supplies old time CDs.

Don't miss the alphabetically-arranged links to just about everything old-time: membership organizations, bands, and music & dance camps. Musicians will also want to explore the link to the Folk Music Index, listing more than 25,000 songs and tunes.

Old-Time Music & Dance Links

This page also tries to define old time music with a thoughtful essay by musician and historian Mike Seeger. One link will tell you what you need to know about Appalachian Clogging.

What is Clogging, you ask? Don't ask me; check the website! From here you can also reach the website of the Old Time Herald, the definitive printed magazine in the field.

Just in case you always wanted to research American folk music, you can jump to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife.

Roots Music Re-issue Index

Some record labels are re-issuing pre-World War II music. Any effort by a printed document to keep up is doomed, but online it is possible.

This website has a long list -- arranged by artist's name -- of recorded traditional music of all kinds that has been re-issued in recent years. Once you have the info, web over to one of the suppliers on this tour to obtain the recording itself.

Old Time Music Workshop

Want to play it yourself? This site will give you lessons in old time banjo, acoustic guitar and occasionally some other traditional instruments. They provide graphics showing finger positioning and even have sound capability so you can listen to the lesson.

Augusta Heritage Center

Want to sing it yourself? Pack up the jalopy and head out to Elkins, WV, but check out the website first. They offer programs in old-time harmony singing and instruments. The campus is pretty far away from everything, but if you register for a singing class with Ginny Hawker you'll think you found heaven.

Old Time Music on Radio

If you still enjoy the ol' wireless, this site has a database of stations around the world that program old time music. Another click presents a long list of traditional music CDs. And, best of all, the official announcement of the organization's biennial conference (open to the public) appears here.

Sing Out!

This is the website of the 50-year-old printed magazine that covers all varieties of American folk music, including old time. With learned articles by musical historians, humor, and a thorough understanding of how broad its field really is, Sing Out! is a treasure untold.

Your Local Organization

Most of the stops on our tour have had a national orientation, but suppose you want find other old-time musicians right in your town. Web on over to the Folk Alliance site, and click on the Links button.

There you'll find a long list of local folk music organizations. Check their sites out or call them up and ask. You remember how the telephone works, don't you?