Folk music in Chile has long tradition; however, has also been object of long neglect by Chileans. Among other reasons, pop and rock have absorbed audiences who support these streams fervently, leaving Chilean "folklore" relegated to a second place. However, an interesting phenomenon started about 20 years ago, when some rock and alternative bands began to realize that folk music, particularly the blend of traditional country and urban folk, offer rich diversity in rhythms, themes, and instrumental performance that could be adopted and interpreted through rock music. This process of folk music recognition favored the emergence of new musicians who are creating a revival and new interpretation of folk that, on the one hand makes folk rhythm more available to general public, and on the other hand recognizes the enormous heritage of Chilean traditional country and urban folk.
An undisputed star of Chilean folk music is Violeta Parra; an amazing woman who was born in a poor rural area in the southern part of the country. As composer, folklorist, and visual artist, Violeta excelled in the artistic Chilean arena for her natural talent and humble character. She is the most famous member of Parra family, full of artists and musicians. Parra family has been a fundamental influence in the revival of folk music in Chile, starting with the inclusion of Lalo Parra (Violeta's brother) in the famous rock band "Los Tres" disc titled "Peineta," at the end of the 90s. Los Tres's recognition to popular folk music, identified intensely with the national dance music, "la cueca" can be seen as one of the triggers for other bands to start valuing and using folk musical roots in their own compositions. In this process of recognition, the figure of Violeta Parra has been essential, and even has crossed the barriers of music to be represented in a movie released in 2011.
Whether Chilean folk music is today more valued than in the past is still a question to be answered, but there is enough evidence to support the idea that folk music and its top representatives has acquired a better status through the recognition of its contribution by new waves of musicians.