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Feb 26, 2024 By Frank Valish

The Music Maker Foundation was started in 1994 by Tim and Denise Duffy in order to document, preserve, and support traditional American music of the Southeast. It largely focus its efforts on musicians who are over 55 years old and live on $25,000 per year or less, providing them with opportunities, sustenance, and distribution for their art. As such, Music Maker Foundation supports not only the music of these oft-unknown originators but also the communities in which they reside. It is an important mission and keeps the spirit of Americana and roots music alive.

Song Keepers documents in prose, photography, and song the history of Music Maker Foundation. The 143-page book is chock full of photos documenting the players, communities, and lives of the musicians so integral to the foundation’s mission. The accompanying 4 CDs document the music. Separated into four categories, the discs cover a wide swath of MMF’s music: acoustic blues, electric blues, sacred soul and gospel, and eclectic folk. In total, 85 tracks of spectacular, authentic, and largely unheard roots music from players who have unfairly languished in obscurity. The book profiles each artist and each track, providing history and context.

In sum, Song Keepers is nothing less than a brilliant encapsulation of all things Music Maker Foundation, shedding light on a most honorable history. (www.musicmaker.org)

Author rating: 7.5/10