John Lomax III continues one of America’s most storied musical traditions as an artist, author, and music industry veteran. A native of Houston now based in Nashville, Lomax recently celebrated his 80th birthday with the release of American Folk Songs—his debut album and a heartfelt homage to his father’s 1956 Folkways release of the same name. The record features 18 to 20 songs from the Lomax family’s unparalleled archive, including classics such as “Home on the Range,” “The Streets of Laredo,” and “Goodnight, Irene.”
Produced by Matthew “Buster” Allen, longtime engineer for Garth Brooks, the album features an ensemble of acclaimed musicians including Richard Bennett, Shawn Camp, and Jim Hoke, with special appearances by Rattlesnake Annie and James Tristan Reding. The result is a rich and soulful tribute that bridges past and present, reaffirming the Lomax family’s role in shaping American folk music.
Since moving to Nashville in 1973, Lomax has worked as a writer, publicist, boutique distributor, and artist manager, representing figures such as Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, David Schnaufer, The Cactus Brothers, and Kasey Chambers. In 2010, the Country Music Association honored him with the Jo Walker-Meador International Achievement Award for his efforts in promoting American roots music worldwide.
His dedication to preservation extends beyond performance: Lomax has donated extensive archival materials to Rice University’s Woodson Research Center, and his photography contributed to Ken Burns’s acclaimed Country Music documentary. With American Folk Songs, he adds a new chapter to his family’s legacy—a recording lineage stretching back to the 1940s through his grandfather John Avery Lomax Sr., uncle Alan Lomax, and father John A. Lomax Jr. As Lomax III says, “It’s not about the singer—it’s about the songs and the heritage of our shared culture.”
