Rare interview footage of John Jacob Niles, curated from across the internet. We're actively searching for footage — check back soon.
Interviews reveal the person behind the music — their influences, creative process, frustrations, and ambitions. The best music interviews are the candid ones: a backstage chat after a difficult show, a late-night radio session, or a press conference where the artist drops their guard. These clips capture musicians in their own words, often more revealing than any biography.
John Jacob Niles was an American composer, singer and collector of traditional ballads. Called the "Dean of American Balladeers," Niles was an important influence on the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, with Odetta, Joan Baez, Burl Ives, Peter, Paul and Mary and Bob Dylan, among others, recording his songs.
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