We are accustomed to thinking of a story as prose in a book. However, until a few hundred years ago, stories were commonly poetry that was sung or recited.

Storytellers relied on memory rather than written word. Memorized stories were often poems because, as Sir Philip Sidney once said, “Verse far exceeds prose in the knitting up of the memory.”

In order for these “stories in song” to be passed down orally from generation to generation, they had to be not only simple and catchy to sing, but also easy to remember. With each new generation, singers would consciously or unconsciously modify their inheritance until its author was lost in the mist of time, and the song had truly become written by the “folk,” hence, birth of the word “folksongs.”

As the folksongs continued to grow in popularity, the topics for such songs continued to expand. The songs developed themes that people could relate to…messages that reflected the culture of the people who kept them alive. And, the “ballads” as they became known as, began to move around. Typically, a balladeer would perform initially for his family and friends and perhaps at village fairs and markets. Eventually, balladeers began traveling from village to village to perform their songs and convey their stories.

In today’s world, there is still a place for ballads. Lee Smedley, the nation’s only business balladeer, has developed a unique approach to crafting stories in song that express the culture of today’s businesses and organizations. He carries on many of the traditions of the original balladeers to help people in organizations throughout the country find purpose in their work so they may achieve genuine progress.