At Red-Winged Blackbird Records, we are committed to protecting and preserving the rich musical traditions of bluegrass, folk, country, Americana, and Appalachian music, with an emphasis on original songwriting and the continuation of traditional tunes from Appalachia and beyond.

Because they’re uniquely American and part of our story as a nation.

These genres of music originated as one consequence of the textured interfacing of various racial and cultural groups during the historically fraught period of American colonization and the years since.

The result of these encounters includes but is not limited to:

A) the creation of a broader narrative and cultural conversation in the form of songs, and

B) an amalgam of musical influences born from the conflict and confluence of our nation’s diverse racial and cultural populations interacting.

These factors gave birth to styles of music uniquely indigenous to The United States. And these songs are a vital part of our story.

These forms of music are seldom taught in schools, are are predominantly learned by ear and word of mouth.

We place a strong emphasis on the continuation of traditional tunes from Appalachia and beyond.

We have a responsibility to carry on these enduring traditions and to honor the skilled folks who know how to play and sing these songs of our shared history.

We place a strong emphasis on original songwriting.

We celebrate the contemporary songwriters who document the events of today through their music.

Contrary to popular belief, creating music to share with a broader audience than one’s own bedroom comes with a lot of associated costs.

Those costs are prohibitively expensive to many talented and worthy individuals.

What are the large-scale implications of a culture in which only the wealthy can afford to record, release, promote, and tour in support of their songs?

Whose voices are omitted from that conversation and what are the unquantifiable losses we all suffer as a result of only hearing the music of those with resources, and not necessarily the folks with the most impactful or challenging message?

We enable the underdogs to have a chance.