Folk Artists

i just recently started getting into alot more folk music and i just had the thought that a list of everyone's favorite modern (or semi-modern) folk artists might be helpful for people like myself who are just getting into it. i also think itd also be alright for people to exclude Bob Dylan, S&G, Neil Young, and Woody Guthrie, since they would probly be on alot of lists. thanks

 

listen to me, i'm a folkie.

devendra banhart is awesome too.

 

If your tastes run toward political/topical folk music, then definitely look into David Rovics:

http://www.davidrovics.com

 

Kate Rusby, Vashti Bunyan, Espers, Vetiver, Songs of Green Pheasant, Joanna Newsom, CocoRosie, Jacqui McShee, (Smog), Ani Difranco....

 

Ani DiFranco, definitely! She is the shit!

 

Hey - Thanks I just went off and downloaded some Kate Rusby - wandering soul and the lark - absolutely beautiful! I love discovering music - Listend to Ani DiFranco ASwell - Great stuff!

 

under rated and lesser knowns:
Al Stewart
Bert Jansch
Bill Fay
Davy Graham
Fairport Convention
Duncan Browne
Fred Neil
Ian Matthews
John Martyn
John Renbourn
Leo Kottke
John Fahey is supposed to be good, gona give him a listen soon
Leonard Cohen
Nick Drake
The Pentangle
Phil Ochs is decent
Ralph McTell
Richie Havens
Roy Harper
Tim Buckley
Richard/ Linda Thompson
Tim Hardin
Wizz Jones

 

i love that list. i would be tempted to shove steeleye span on there and maddy prior's solo stuff, espcially woman in the wings. you really can't beat john fahey and john martyn though.

 

forgot to mention horslips.

 

Yeah, Horslips - Merry to meet, sorry to part is a great album. If you like the names from that list I also recommend Magna Carta.

 

I never heard of em - but got hold of Book of Invasions - quite enjoyed it.Listened to Bela Fleck,stomping ground witch somebody else,drumminmama I think mentioned aswell.Good stuff - Lagan - couldn't help noticing your'e north of england.Hi from the northwest.I woz a music student too - took me a long long time but finnally got a paid job as a musician!....instead of a cleaner.Whats youre instrument?

 

the book of invasions: a celtic symphony is a good album, haven't listened to it for a couple of years, might have to dig it out again. yeah, i noticed you live in windermere. lovely part of cumbria. i myself as born in the north west of cumbria, the not so nice part lol. i play a few instruments, clarinets, i can get by on the drums, saxophones, flute, whistles, recorders, guitar, recently piano, i have started messing around with a knee harp and setting up an old fiddle which i will then attempt to play - attempt being the operative word. for me, my roots are in folk - thats where i feel most comfortable, especially when i am singing. i just mess around to be honest, a work in progress.
i have listened to your songs by the way, and i have to say they are bloody good.

 

Wow I'd like to hear the fiddle - I've got an accordian that belonged to an irish tinker that I go busking with...I did have a mandolin but I sold it on E-bay,Did have a zither if thats similar to what youre talking about that goes flat on your knee - this one I had used a chord bar that damps off the strings to play chords..I knew a guy once who lived in a truck down in somerset who used to make/repair old madolins and harps..

You know what?

You sound very interesting... !

 

yeah, i am not interesting at all, in all honesty i get bored of myself very easily lol. i am however a complete headcase for music. my step dad picked up an accordion from an auction, its all bashed up in places, but the bellows are in really good shape which is a relief. so, one of these days i may get round to touching the rest of it up. my harp is, basically, a folk harp (lever harp), not an orchestral harp, although that is a future aim - to own a pedal harp. it will certainly be a good few years before that dream comes true, unless i win the irish lotto. i have been fancying a mandolin for about a year now, but i am thinking i will just leave off for a while and perfect the instruments i already have. somerset is a great part of the world, the cider, wow, that is excellent cider, good and strong - can't beat it.

 

dar williams and david wilcox - more toward the singer/songwriter end of things but great words and wonderful to sing along to!
of course ani, as has been said (actually I'm listening to her now)
and a strange deviation that always makes it into my folk collections: Hawaain folk artist Israel Kamakawiwoole (better known as braddah iz)

 

oh yeah,
UTAH PHILLIPS!

 

and Greg Brown
I promise thats it

...for now

 

Has Joni Mitchell been mentioned? or am I stating the obvious.
Hejira is just such a beautiful album - coyote is one of those songs that alot of people say what the fuck is she singing about,but I know it off by heart - infact its got to be one of my all time favourite songs.How poignant is the line 'I'm a prisoner of the white lines of the freeway.'And black crow,and off other albums - conversation,this flite tonite,free man in paris