Américo Paredes: Ballad Scholar (Phillips Barry Lecture, 2004)

• Published in: The Journal of American folklore Vol. 120; no. 475; pp. 3 - 18
• Main Author: LIMON, José E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Arlington, VA American Folklore Society 22.12.2007; American Folklore Society, Inc
• Subjects: Ballads; Coffins; Cognitive problems, arts and sciences, folk traditions, folklore; Controversies; Corridos; Creativity; Criticism and interpretation; Cultural history; Ethnology; Ethnomusicology; Folk culture; Folk literature; Folk music; Folk music, American; Folklore; Folklorists; Folksongs; Hispanic Americans; History; Music; Paredes, Americo; Paredes, Américo; Pistols; Portrayals; Scholars; Works; Mexico; North America; United States of America; United States; Salt Lake City, Utah; Los Angeles California; California; United States > US; Texas; Methodology; Theory; Music; Folklore; Ballad; Folklore studies; Boundary
• ISSN: 0021-8715; 1535-1882; 1535-1882
• DOI: 10.1353/jaf.2007.0019

The ballad scholarship of Américo Paredes (1915-1999), principally his book "With His Pistol in His Hand": A Border Ballad and its Hero, has been overlooked as a creative synthesis and expansion of the extant folklore theories and methodologies of its time. This essay closely examines Paredes's book to demonstrate that synthesis and expansion. It also suggest the reasons why it may have been overlooked as a central contribution to ballad scholarship.