ODWODL - Micah Ling (09/10/2025)

Micah Ling, MSU Traditional Arts Program - “Clad in the Working Class: Blue-Collar Style and American Folk Music”

American folk music is often the soundtrack of labor movements—the rallying cries and songs that tell the story of workers’ struggles. This talk explores the way that blue-collar attire is used by folk and roots musicians in the United States regardless of their own labor backgrounds to show solidarity, express identity, and connect with the histories of the music.