ABOUT TRADITIONAL ARTS SERVICES

Traditional Arts Services (TAS) was formed in 1974 as a department of the Seattle Folklore Society. Our first client was an 82 year old African-American woman who played the guitar upside down and backwards. Elizabeth Cotten was about 11 years old when she wrote Freight Train, a classic of the folk revival of the 1960′s. She received a Grammy Award in 1985 for her Arhoolie album, Elizabeth Cotten Live

Click here for the early history of the Seattle Folklore Society, 1966 to 1978.

The Current TAS Roster:

Ledward Kaapana and Mike Kaawa

Myrick “Freeze” Guillory and Nouveau Zydeco

Dr. Demento

Les Blank, Filmmaker

Phil and Vivian Williams

Sukay/Pachamama

Christopher Ryan

Diane Ferlatte

Queen Ida  and her Zydeco Band
(Please note: Queen Ida is no longer performing with her band, but is available for interviews and video or film work.)

Previous Clients Include:

Mike Seeger

The Boys of the Lough

Memphis Slim

Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys

The Georgia Sea Island Singers

Bessie Jones

Brownie McGhee

Wade and Julia Mainer

Jackie Torrence

Flaco Jimenez

David Holt

Lydia Mendoza

Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl

Shizumi

Hazel and Alice

Bob Brozman

John Jackson

Robert Junior Lockwood

Johnny Shines

Othar Turner

Brenda Wong Aoki

Benny Thomasson

Dick Barrett

Clifton Chenier

Dewey and Rodney Balfa

Obo Addy

Timberbound

Samite

Jim and Jesse

Ralph Stanley

Rose Maddox

Jean Ritchie

Cephas and Wiggins