Samuel Preston Bayard

Samuel Preston Bayard (1908–1997) was an American folklorist and musicologist known for his extensive research on traditional music. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and educated at Pennsylvania State University (B.A., 1934) and Harvard University (M.A.), Bayard dedicated his career to collecting and analyzing fiddle and fife tunes primarily in southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia from 1928 to 1963. He emphasized the melodies of traditional music, introducing the concept of "melodic families," groups of structurally related musical pieces. His work traced many American fiddle tunes back to British origins.

Bayard was also an authority on the fife's role in traditional American music and was remembered for his personal collection of snuffboxes. He established the folklore program at Pennsylvania State University, where he taught from 1945 to 1973. A fellow of the American Folklore Society and its president in 1965–1966, Bayard left a lasting legacy through his scholarship and teaching. An award in his name was created at Penn State for graduate students in comparative literature. His contributions include books like *Hill Country Tunes* (1944) and *Dance to the Fiddle March to the Fife* (1982), alongside online publications and recordings that continue to influence folklore studies.