Author Rick Massimo, a Providence native discusses his recently published book, I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival. Massimo covered the Newport Folk Fest for nine years as a longtime Providence Journal writer and wrote extensively on arts, media and beyond.
This first-ever book exclusively devoted to the history of the Newport Folk Festival, documents the trajectory of an American musical institution that began more than a half-century ago and continues to influence our understanding of folk music today. Rick Massimo’s research is complemented by extensive interviews with the people who were there and who made it all happen: the festival’s producers, some of its biggest stars, and people who huddled in the fields to witness moments—like Bob Dylan’s famous electric performance in 1965—that live on in musical history. As folk has evolved over the decades, absorbing influences from rock, traditional music, and the singer-songwriters of the ‘60s and ‘70s, the Newport Folk Festival has once again become a gathering point for young performers and fans. I Got a Song tells the stories, small and large, of several generations of American folk music enthusiasts.
This event is at capacity. Please call 401-847-0292 to be put on waiting list.
Reception at 5:30 pm
Lecture at 6:00 pm
Members $10; Non-members $20.
Date:
Wednesday, July 24, 2019 – 5:30pm to 7:00pm
