Born: 31-Jan-1915
Birthplace: Austin, TX
Died: 19-Jul-2002
Location of death: Safety Harbor, FL
Cause of death: Natural Causes

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Musicologist

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Preserved thousands of folksongs

Ethnomusicologist. Beginning in 1932, Lomax traveled the South recording folk musicians in a preservation effort on behalf of the Library of Congress. Among his discoveries was guitarist Leadbelly, whom Lomax met while surveying the musicians in a Louisiana prison in 1933. In the 50s he continued his work in England, this time focusing on the music of the British Isles, Spain, and Italy. He returned to the United States in 1959.

Father: John A. Lomax (folklorist, b. 1867, d. 1948)
Mother: Bess B. Lomax
Wife: Elizabeth Harold (m. Feb-1937)
Daughter: Anne
Wife: Antoinette Marchand (m. 26-Aug-1961)

    University: BA Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin

    Library of Congress Living Legend 2000

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack (26-Jan-2000) · Himself

Author of books:
American Ballads and Folksongs (1934, music)
Negro Folk Songs as Sung by Leadbelly (1936, music)
Cowboy Songs (1937, music)
Our Singing Country (1938, music)
Folk Songs of North America (1960, music)
Hard Hitting Songs for Hard-Hit People (1967, music, with Woody Guthrie)
Folk Song Style and Culture (1968, music)
The Land Where the Blues Began (1993, music)

Copyright ©2025