Field holler

The field holler is a type of formless, and sometimes wordless vocal expression used by slaves in the cotton fields of the "Deep South", especially in the Mississippi Delta, to communicate or to vent feelings, hence the name "field holler". It is closely related to the call and response of work songs, prison chain gangs, railway gangs, and arhoolies, to Afro-American spirituals and ultimately to African American music in general such as the blues and the rhythm and blues.

It also had prevalence among whites in the southern United States too.

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