Skiffle is a folk blend of Americana influences, from bluegrass to jazz to jug bands, originating from the South. Although it originated as a short-lived 1920s improvised genre popularized within African-American culture, it would not reach its heights until the 1950s. At that point, it would see a sudden spike in popularity in Britain, growing out of the scenes of post-war jazz music.

Skiffle is marked by its rudimentary acoustic instrumentation, utilizing a range of sounds from the banjo to washtub bass and musical saws. It also inspired the “Merseybeat” music genre which helped bring rock and roll into the mainstream and spark the British Invasion.

Artists:

• Lonnie Donegan
• The Quarrymen
• Chris Barber