Skiffle
Also known as Folk
A British revival style built from American roots music, skiffle turned cheap instruments and quick, communal energy into a lasting spark for later rock and pop.
Origins and context
Skiffle first appeared as a U.S. term for mixed blues and related popular music, then found its best-known revival in Britain in the 1950s.
The sound
Characteristics
- Guitar
- Harmonica
- Jug
- Kazoo
- Washtub bass
How to listen
Start here
- Rock Island Line by Lonnie Donegan
History
The word skiffle was already in use in the United States in the 1930s for mixtures of blues, boogie woogie, and related popular black music, and the style’s deeper roots reach into jazz and country-blues traditions. In the 1950s, skiffle surged in Britain, where Lonnie Donegan’s recording of "Rock Island Line" became a major touchstone and helped turn the style into a youth phenomenon. That British revival faded as rock and roll took over, but its do-it-yourself spirit left a long shadow over later pop and rock music.
Notable artists
- LDLonnie Donegan
- CBChris Barber
- KCKen Colyer
Essential listening
- 1
Explore connected genres
Sources and further reading
- Skiffle style overview
- Lonnie Donegan artist page
- officialcharts.com
Official Charts gives 'Rock Island Line' a first chart date of 12/01/1956 and peak position 8.
- Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group artist page