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Who are your go to modern or forgotten folk artists, or acoustic artists?
I'm happy that there is movement in this direction again, although Hozier doesn't quite match my taste. I'm listening to a lot of music while I work and enjoying discovering new artists.
He's certainly not modern, but Townes Van Zandt.
I found his music by chance when I was experiencing some pretty severe suicidal ideation. He lived a hard life due to struggles with mental health, spent most of it self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. As a result, most of his music is pretty sorrowful and goes to some pretty dark places, especially his later work.
I'm doing a bit better nowadays, but his music has stuck with me.
he was going to be my suggestion as well.
my introduction to his music, which I'd recommend for anyone who hasn't heard him before, was Live at the Old Quarter:
the full album is on YouTube. the sound quality is better than a 50 year old live recording made at a bar in Houston has any right to be.
Ayy - just closed an online open mic where I covered Pancho and Lefty. I love songwriters with a knack for turning a phrase, and Townes Van Zandt definitely had that knack.
She came and she touched me is such a damned good song. He had so, so many good songs.
If you haven’t gotten into Fairport Convention yet, you’re in for a treat. Also, Richard Thompson’s solo work and work with Linda Thompson. Pure genius.
I never heard much Fairport Convention growing up, but Radio Paradise plays them every once in awhile and everything I've heard so far I've really liked. I'm kinda sorry I missed out on them, and wonder if it would be worth exploring or if it's just those few songs that resonate w/ me.
It’s a rather broad question. I like Čechomor for Czech music, Arild Andersen’s Sagn and Arv (have to share the next song too from the same album), and Jan Garbarek / Agnes Buen Garnås Rosenfole for Norwegian folk jazz, Mari Boine - Idjagaiedas for Sami music, Wardruna for a more Viking inspired tone, and can never get tired of Ivan Rebroff’s amazing voice for old, Soviet classics.
I just tried the Czech music. It is beautiful
My brother would always listen to Johnny Cash. He passed away and I put all the music he made online: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVoczRgDnXDIyx3-NQ3AVdPOh7xbS_20s
He was never a guitar virtuoso but I would describe his music as modern folk. He has a couple songs that are worth a listen (the first song has a long intro).
I have listened to a few of these so far, and I enjoyed them a lot. Reminds me of v. early Modest Mouse and John Frusciante's 2004-2005 solo albums. Sorry for your loss.
Thank you. I am sorry for your loss.
What's your taste?
Ranges from Peter Paul and Mary to the Indigo Girls to Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, John Denver, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin, Karen Carpenter, Otis Redding, Wierd Al, earlier stuff like Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holliday, I can't think of a blues guitarist but I like that also. They Might Be Giants, Jackson Browne and more. Leonard Cohen
I also enjoy a wide variety of rock and other electronically boosted music but I asked here for acoustic.
This is considered folk music? I feel I must have missed something with my suggestions 😅 I don’t know all of these artists, but many of them I just associate with American country music.
I asked for acoustic, including folk. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. I just named the artists to give a sense of the song writing and themes I enjoy. But Peter Paul and Mary, Harry Chapin, Cat Stevens, definitely folk
Very interesting. I guess I’m not aware of the American definition of folk music and didn’t understand this was a US-specific question.
I think the more specialized use evolved because these singers were singing traditional folk songs
I definitely didn't want to limit it to the US/UK/Australia etc anglosphere. I really appreciate the songs you shared and look forward to enjoying them. Thank you for suggesting them
Also, I think there are two usages for folk music. There is the music that goes back centuries and there are the artists who sing in a folky style that can include some of these traditional tunes in their repertoire. I like both.
American folk songs in the first sense of the word would include Oh Susannah, Eerie Canal, I've Been Working on the Railroad, John Henry, Give me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam etc.. But those songs don't have specific musicians for the most part
I'm not seeing any Joni Mitchell, Karen Dalton, Judee Sill, Vashti Bunyan, Molly Drake, Laura Nyro, Margot Guryan, Sibylle Baier, Linda Perhacs, or Kath Bloom in that list of yours
For those like me who had never heard of Judee Sill, BBC radio did a documentary about her life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6cEreyGpYI
There's a lovely tribute album to Judee Sill with this standout track from Frida Hyvonen, covering Jesus Was A Cross Maker: https://open.spotify.com/track/1bBlSkiBuWAz7vNICzCIDF
(Youtube link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj8RFOp7iVQ)
The tracks by Beth Orton, Meg Baird, and Bill Callahan are also pretty good
Thank you. Joni Mitchell I know, but I didn't want to write a book while making the list. These others are new to me
I would add Jim Croce, who I just heard recently for the first time in a long time.
I got you. Listen to this song called Live Life by Terry Reid, and let me know what you think. He's been pretty well forgotten since the 70s, but he crossed paths with a lot of big names back then.
Right now I'm enjoying (and had been enjoying):
May Erlewine-- soft modest vocals, indie/folk.
Daweshas been around for a while, newer stuff tends toward alternative/rock but older catalog fits into folk rock.
I love them both, do check them out!
Recently I've found and fallen in love with a little record label called 'Mashed Potato Records' which is a lot of kinda modern country folk stuff, here is a mixtape volume, and also Duff Thompson's Haywire. The first two albums from the Tallest Man on Earth (per other post) also fit the bill
Nick Drake, Jason Molina/Songs: Ohia, Andrew Bird, Jose Gonzalez, Alexi Murdoch , Gregory Alan Isakov, Ray LaMontagne - off my current favorites playlist (plus lots of random stuff, it evolves over time). Leans more to progressive folk.
Danny Schmidt is an incredible songwriter in my opinion, and it's a crime he's not more well known. This Too Shall Pass is a song close to my heart. It was also featured on an episode of Welcome to Night Vale, so if it sounds familiar to you, I'd bet that's why.
Also give a listen to Stained Glass and Company of Friends.
Cheryl Wheeler! Beautiful melodies, touching lyrics and funny as hell. She fell into that category of lesbian/feminist folk singer that the wider world wasn't quite ready for, I think. One of her songs, Addicted, was a hit for Dan Seals. I'll link to a few at random but I love everything she's done, for decades. Got to see her live once and it was a memorable night of great music and hilarious stories.
Arrow
Further and Further Away
Lighting up the Mighty Mississippi
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Of Monsters and Men. They're the first band I think of when I think of modern Folk music.
There's also a Mexican artist that does Folk music who is pretty famous across Latin America. Here's her Tiny Desk concert. That's gonna be tough if you don't understand Spanish, but I love her and saw her in concert back in August.
Phil Ochs is my favorite in this genre.
Acoustic/Folk, eh? For starters, dive into the playlists for the Pickathon Music Festival every year, and you will have more excellent acoustic, roots, and folk music than you can hope to handle. It's so big now even acts that aren't traditionally known for folk show up to get their acoustics on. As for my own favorites, try these. We'll do them live, as folk should be done. ;)
I am pretty convinced I am Johnny Flynn's top listener on Spotify. If I am working I am typically listening to one of his albums. The linked to live album is my favorite of his, but his more recent album Lost in the Cedar Wood is also great. I can't recommend him enough really.
Agreed, Johnny Flynn is great! If you are in the UK you might have heard Johnny Flynn as he wrote the theme song to the detectorists - which is such a beautiful song and one of my favourites to play / sing. Incidentally the detectorists is also one of my favourite TV shows.
A few other folk(ish) suggestions. Ben Howard - maybe more alt than folk but check out old pine for a more folky song. Also Tunng - a bit out there maybe folktronica? Absolutely fantastic band though with some stunning albums.
After catching her Tiny Desk a few years back, Erin Rae. There’s just something about her approach to folk, her sound and her lyrics that check a bunch of boxes for me. Always hoping to find other fans
One of my favorites is Bad Mind
Some of my favorites:
Was going to mention the milk carton kids but you got there first lol. I just started getting into a really good band named black country, new road (edit). They are a very good representation of some modern folk, I would say they are also very progressive in that genre.
Black country new road?
Nevermind. Found it.
Yes lol I messed that up
Big fan of Noah Kahans album Stick Season
Not sure if she fits what you're looking for, but my favorite current folk-ish musician I Jolie Holland.
I often prefer the moodier, darker side of things, like Emma Ruth Rundle. She has some vocal melodies that really remind me of an artist I haven't listened to in a decade and need to revisit, so at least, forgotten by me: Damien Rice.
Fleet Foxes are still one of my favorites. Especially Tiger Mountain Peasant Song and Mykonos. Many of their tracks have such a uniquely haunting wilderness aura to them.
Billy Strings is the absolute best bluegrass musician (and his whole band) right now, he's reviving the genre and bringing it to a whole new audience.
He plays a lot of traditional bluegrass, but also has a lot of rock crossover as well.
His live show at Red Rocks is awesome
https://youtu.be/3lGjS3yGoRU?si=7lCSAM2_Wh48t3LD
An example of his more traditional bluegrass music is this album https://spotify.link/aHnVz7guoDb
For a while I was binging on Bonny Light Horseman, especially their debut self-titled album.
I really enjoy the eerie, unsettling music of Emily Portman, such as her song Tongue-tied.
He's not yet been mentioned, but I love Nathan Rogers' originals every bit as much as I love the covers he does of his dad's work.
I don't really listen to older recordings, but I should since I like old-timey Americana. But here's some stuff I listen to:
Al Scorch is a favorite of mine because of how bare his music is. His first album with The Country Soul Ensemble was a little rougly produced which works in a folk concept, but I like the emotion he conveys, as well as his ripping banjo lines, and the "wverybody gets a solo" bluegrass vibe when the band is humming on his "Al Scorch and the Country Soul Ensemble" stuff.
Jeron "Blind Boy" Paxton is great for old-timey music and is a font of knowledge of you watch him talking about it.
Punch Brothers: no link, they're easily found. They're this virtuostic bluegrass band that makes beautiful music that swings from hammering Scruggs-style bluegrass to beautiful spacious ambience.
The Dubliners, as well as the Clancy Brothers are great Irish folk musicians who showcase a large amount of Irish music, not just rebel music and drinking songs. I grew up listening to a lot of these two so also have a soft spot for them.
And if you haven't listened to them, The Pogues are pretty solid, if you forgive or even like Shane McGowan's vocals. They dona solid job with instrumentation and, I think for the time/genre, carrying forward the traditions they were built on while trying to do new works.
Check out the GemsOnVHS channel on YouTube. Tons of great Americana artists have been through the channel.
I definitely want to second Townes Van Zandt and Erin Rae from other folks on the thread. They are both amazing!
Other I'd suggest include:
Mapache - If you've seen my suggestions on other music related posts you're probably familiar with Mapache. Their entire discography is incredible, they have 2 fully 10/10 records, and they are entirely slept on.
The Magnolia Electric Co - The band is from the early 2000s and could easily be confused for an entirely fresh band. Not particularly well know but worth a listen.
Lord Huron - A band from the early to mid teens. Reminiscent of the "sleepy" sound that was popular during that era.
Jackson C Frank - Modern is a stretch here, similar to Townes, but I'd like to add him to the list as he isn't well know.
Deer tick - Late naughts and their music reflects it. Dan Deacon-ersque, could have easily appeared on the Walter Mitty soundtrack.
Ratboys - New band, similar to Erin Rae, and full of promise. See these folks before it's hard to get a ticket to their shows.
Twain - Band from the last 5 years. Very easy folk listening, though what folk isn't.
John Grant - Fun, grand western feeling. Incredibly easy to loop.
Jessica Lee Mayfield - Back to the early teens. She is a slow, slightly depressing sound to her music but it's entirely beautiful.
Jake Xerxes Fussel - Sounds similar to Townes and Frank but making music in the last 20 years.
John Fahey - Acoustic, from the Townes era.
I'm a bit partial to John Fullbright. Not sure if it's your cup of tea, but I recommend. I've been partial to him since I saw him perform in 2010 at Cactus Records in Houston.
Jose Gonzalez