A Top 10 of Folk Alliance musicians

Michael Sangiacomo offers his Top 10 performers/bands that impressed him during the recent Fol Alliance.

More Folk Alliance features

Timothy Finn authors "Day 3 of Folk Alliance Conference delivers array of roots and acoustic music"

Here's more on this year's FA.

And more.

And more.

Must see performers @ Folk Alliance

It's concluding but here are Kim Ruehl's selections as performers to seek out at the 2014 Folk Alliance.

Kacey Musgraves: alt country or what country is going to be?

More good press for Kacey Musgraves -- "Follow Your Arrow" from the "Same Trailer, Different Park" CD.

The Best Irish Ballads

Patrick Cooper selects his choices as the ten most touching Irish ballads and also provides videos of each.

Name choices for and in John Prine's songs

Just a minor point but worth giving credit nonetheless.

Besides wonderful lyrics, John Prine also selects such appropriate names for his characters.

Before you find yourself asking huh? -- try the following to make such a statement concrete:

* The song title itself "Donald & Lydia" (in which the lyrics detail Lydia's parents as Virginia and Ray)



These name choices are just perfect for the subject matter. Maybe this is a minor element but hey, "Gustav and Genevieve" would exactly fit nor "Michael and Sally."

Then there is "Please Don't Bury Me" in which Prine sings: "sell my heart to the junk man and give my love to Rose." Just perfect.



Then you have "Sam Stone" which is another fitting choice (and if you don't tear up when this song comes on, well...

"Fiction, Fact or FolkTale" by Have Gun Will Travel

Have Gun Will Travel receives a big thumbs up from Casey Karger. for their "Fiction, Fact or FolkTale" release.

Caitlin Marie Bell & "Blood and the Water"

Caitlin Marie Bell's release "Blood and the Water" receives high praise from Greg Jones.

More about "Inside Llewyn Davis"

Carrie Weisman wrote this fascinating photo essay titled "Inside Llewyn Davis—A Look Back At The Real Greenwich Village ’60s Folk Scene"

Visiting with Martin Simpson

Erica Wagner has a chat with Martin Simpson who isn't head over heels about the music from Mumford and Sons.

This song from one of his latest releases is just exquisite:

A Tony Rice feature

Sandra Beasley digs deep with a very personal look at Tony Rice.

Folk Opera

Carl Pierer has an article up titled "Death In Folk Opera" which discourses on "Hadestown" by Anais Mitchell, "The Hazards of Love" from The Decemberists and Annie Bacon's "The Folk Opera."

A Lucy Kaplansky Q-and-A

Darryl Smyers has posted a Q-and-A with Dr. Lucy Kaplansky, who could probably diagnose and sing simultaneously if need be.

Colvin & Earle getting together

Kim Ruehl reports that Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle will be touring together beginning in March.

TOP ALBUMS AND SONGS OF JANUARY 2014

Richard Gillmann has compiled the TOP SONGS and ALBUMS OF JANUARY 2014.

Here's a taste:

TOP SONGS OF JANUARY 2014
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L radio playlists
Based on 13011 airplays from 135 different DJs

1. "King Of The Folksingers" (32)
        by Tim Grimm
        from "The Turning Point"
2. "Green, Green Rocky Road" (27)
        by Oscar Isaac
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
3. "Fare Thee Well" (24)
        by Oscar Isaac And Marcus Mumford
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
4. "Lake" (22)
        by Tim Grimm
        from "The Turning Point"
5. "500 Miles" (19)
        by Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan And Stark Sands
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
6. "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me" (18)
        by Oscar Isaac
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
6. "Rovin' Gambler" (18)
        by Tim Grimm
        from "The Turning Point"
8. "4 Good Days" (15)
        by Jack Williams
        from "Four Good Days"
8. "Blame It On The Dog" (15)
        by Tim Grimm
        from "The Turning Point"
10. "Rain And Snow" (14)
        by Gathering Time
        from "When One Door Closes"
11. "Farewell" (13)
        by Bob Dylan
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
11. "Last Thing On My Mind" (13)
        by Stark Sands With The Punch Brothers
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
13. "Names" (12)
        by Nathan Bell
        from "Blood Like A River"
14. "Roving Gambler" (11)
        by Down Hill Strugglers With John Cohen
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
14. "Shoals Of Herring" (11)
        by Oscar Isaac With The Punch Brothers
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
14. "Storms Are On The Ocean" (11)
        by Nancy Blake
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"

TOP ALBUMS OF JANUARY 2014

  1: "Inside Llewyn Davis," Various Artists [Nonesuch, 11/13] (164)
        "Green, Green Rocky Road," Oscar Isaac
        "Fare Thee Well," Oscar Isaac And Marcus Mumford
        "500 Miles," Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan And Stark Sands
        "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me," Oscar Isaac
        "Last Thing On My Mind," Stark Sands With The Punch Brothers
        "Farewell," Bob Dylan
  2: "The Turning Point," Tim Grimm [Cavalier, 9/13] (128)
        "King Of The Folksingers"
        "Lake"
        "Rovin' Gambler"
        "Blame It On The Dog"
        "Anne In Amsterdam"
  3: "When One Door Closes," Gathering Time [Treble-G, 9/13] (74)
        "Rain And Snow"
        "There But For Fortune"
        "Mingulay Boat Song"
        "Good Day To Be Above Ground"
        "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"
  4: "22 Days," John McCutcheon [Appalseed, 10/13] (54)
        "Of An Age"
        "Orion's Belt"
        "She Sings"
        "Dry Land Fish"
  5: "Four Good Days," Jack Williams [Wind River, 11/13] (49)
        "4 Good Days"
        "Them Things"
        "Sleeping In The Streets"
  6: "The River And The Thread," Rosanne Cash [Blue Note, new] (47)
        "Feather's Not A Bird"
        "When The Master Calls The Roll"
        "Sunken Lands"
  7: "Foreverly," Billie Joe + Norah [Reprise, 11/13] (37)
        "Roving Gambler"
        "Long Time Gone"
        "I'm Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail"
  8: "Some Part Of The Truth," Brother Sun [brothersunmusic.com, 2/13] (35)
        "Lady Of The Harbor"
        "House That Jack Built"
        "Pushing Stones"
  9: "Blood Like A River," Nathan Bell [Stone Barn, new] (34)
        "Names"
        "Really Truly"
        "Fade Out"
  9: "Echo Sessions," The Stray Birds [thestraybirds.com, 11/13] (34)
        "I'll Be Your San Antone Rose"
        "I Wish It Would Rain"
        "When I Stop Dreaming"
        "Loretta"