Ronald d cohen has written numerous books and articles about the influence of folk music in depression folk he examines key folk artists such as leadbelly jo we use cookies to enhance your experience on our websiteby continuing to use our website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. By the 1920s folk music rural and urban north and south black and white foreign and domestic from a variety of sources had numerous outlets in the united states including books and articles by folk music collectors commercial phonograph records and field recordings radio programs public shows and concerts fiddle contests folk festivals and plenty of home entertainments. 2018 depression folk grassroots music and left wing politics in 1930s america popular music and society vol 41 no 1 pp 94 96. Ronald d cohen depression folk grassroots music and left wing politics in 1930s america konstantinos blatanis 1 ronald d cohen depression folk grassroots music and left wing politics in 1930s america 2 chapel hill the university of north carolina press 2016 pp 201 isbn 9781469630465 3 konstantinos blatanis 4 national and kapodistrian university of athens. Though lead belly is often described as a bluesman his voice and lyrics captured the raw gritty essence of folk music 69 in the late 1930s alan lomax found himself caught up in left wing social and political movements which was unsurprising given his commitment to preserving the music of underprivileged people