What is Roots Music?

Roots music is a broad term that includes forms such as folk, bluegrass, old time, early blues, and Americana and. The sound of this music is considered by many to be quintessentially American, yet the extensive Black contributions - from the creation of the banjo and fiddle traditions to the roots of social dances performed alongside the music - are not widely acknowledged. FWAAMFest aims to change that, unsettling the often-forgotten and suppressed contributions made by Black folks.

Join us in Fort Worth’s Near Southside Cultural District for a day celebrating blackness in American roots music! The sound of old-time music is considered by many to be quintessentially American, yet the extensive Black influence - from the creation of the banjo and fiddle traditions to the roots of social dances performed alongside the music - is not widely acknowledged. The Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival (FWAAMFest) aims to change that. Featuring a show-stopping lineup of award-winning artists from across North America, FWAAMFest is unique among major city festivals, Black-led and centered on Black artists who are reclaiming their place in American roots music through preservation and innovation. The event goes beyond simply presenting performances to a passive audience by helping garner community engagement in picking up the traditions themselves through sessions, workshops, and jamming.

FWAAMFest is a program of the nonprofit Decolonizing the Music Room.