Thomas Edward Cheney (1901–1993) was an American folklorist who made contributions to the field of Mormon folklore.
[1]: 54 Cheney resumed his teaching career after he returned from his mission and became a school principal.
[1]: 54 [6][7] He served as a folklorist consultant for the 1965 album The Mormon Pioneers, which included 17 folk songs that he helped contribute.
[1]: 226, 227 The compilation, titled Lore of Faith and Folly, was edited by Cheney and published in 1971.
[1]: 56 This book helped create a strong foundation of research for Mormon folklore.
[1]: 56 After 50 copies were sold from a print run of 6,000, the Brigham Young University Press withdrew the book at the request of the LDS Church.
[1]: 56, 57 [9] Cheney's final book, Voices from the Bottom of the Bowl: A Folk History of Teton Valley Idaho, 1823–1952, was published in 1991.