The Grammy folk album nominees

Christina Vinson writes about the Grammy folk album nominees and provides a survey for readers to make their selection for the best.

John McCutcheon still going strong

Here's a solid feature on the venerable John McCutcheon.

Gene Shay is retiring

Folk music DJ Gene Shay is departing his post on February 1.

Checking in with Johnsmith

Sarah Kirby provides an informative feature on folk music veteran Johnsmith.

The Top Folk Albums of 2014 (reported airplay)

Richard Gillman has compiled the Top Folk Albums of 2014 per the Folk DJ playlists. Here are the first ten based on 159,806 airplays from 184 different DJs -- hit the link for the entire list:

1: "The Red Album," Red Molly [redmolly.com, 4/14] (405)
        "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" (57)
        "Homeward Bound" (52)
        "With A Memory Like Mine" (45)
        "Willow Tree" (44)
        "Clinch River Blues" (42)
        "Sing To Me" (34)
        "Lay Down Your Burden" (25)
        "Pretend" (20)
        "When It's All Wrong" (20)
        "My Baby Loves Me" (17)
        "You Don't Have The Heart For It" (16)
  2: "The Turning Point," Tim Grimm [Cavalier, 9/13] (388)
        "King Of The Folksingers" (79)
        "Lake" (57)
        "Rovin' Gambler" (47)
        "Blame It On The Dog" (44)
        "Anne In Amsterdam" (29)
        "Family History" (29)
        "Indiana" (25)
        "Tree" (25)
        "I Don't Mind" (20)
        "The Turning Point" (17)
  3: "Bright Side Of Down," John Gorka [Red House, 3/14] (384)
        "Holed Up In Mason City" (64)
        "Bright Side Of Down" (51)
        "She's That Kind Of Mystery" (50)
        "Really Spring" (49)
        "Procrastination Blues" (38)
        "High Horse" (22)
        "Don't Judge A Life" (21)
        "Thirstier Wind" (20)
        "Honeybee" (19)
        "More Than One" (18)
  4: "Dear Jean: Artists Celebrate Jean Ritchie," Various Artists [Compass, 9/14] (381)
        "Black Waters," John McCutcheon Et Al (33)
        "L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore," Robin And Linda Williams (30)
        "One I Love," Judy Collins (21)
        "Let The Sun Shine Down On Me," Kim And Reggie Harris (17)
        "Jubilee," Kathy Mattea And Friends (15)
        "One More Mile," Rachael Davis (14)
        "Peace Round," Jean Ritchie And Friends (14)
        "Wintergrace," Debra Cowan And John Roberts (14)
  5: "Inside Llewyn Davis," Various Artists [Nonesuch, 11/13] (339)
        "Fare Thee Well," Oscar Isaac And Marcus Mumford (56)
        "Green, Green Rocky Road," Dave Van Ronk (50)
        "500 Miles," Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan And Stark Sands (41)
        "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me," Oscar Isaac (36)
        "Last Thing On My Mind," Stark Sands With The Punch Brothers (32)
        "Farewell," Bob Dylan (26)
        "Roving Gambler," Down Hill Strugglers With John Cohen (19)
        "Death Of Queen Jane," Oscar Isaac (18)
        "Shoals Of Herring," Oscar Isaac With Punch Brothers (18)
        "Storms Are On The Ocean," Nancy Blake (18)
  6: "Georgia I'm Here," Joe Crookston [Milagrito, 4/14] (325)
        "Riding The Train" (53)
        "Pretty Saro" (39)
        "Big Sky" (37)
        "Miner In The Mourning" (34)
        "Georgia I'm Here" (31)
        "Impermanent Things" (31)
        "Fall Down As The Rain" (30)
        "Out On The Run" (29)
        "Tuesday Morning" (20)
        "Black Dress" (18)
  7: "The Nocturne Diaries," Eliza Gilkyson [Red House, 3/14] (289)
        "Eliza Jane" (59)
        "Fast Freight" (37)
        "American Boy" (33)
        "Midnight Oil" (29)
        "Where No Monument Stands" (22)
        "Ark" (20)
        "Touchstone" (20)
        "All Right Here" (18)
  8: "I'll Swing My Hammer With Both My Hands," Cahalen Morrison And Eli West [cahalenandeli.com, 2/14] (255)
        "Livin' In America" (50)
        "Fiddlehead Fern" (39)
        "Pocket Full Of Dust" (28)
        "Green Pastures" (23)
        "Down In The Lonesome Draw" (22)
        "Voices Of Evening" (17)
        "Natural Thing To Do" (16)
        "James Is Out" (14)
  8: "One Evening In May," Laurie Lewis [Spruce And Maple, 1/14] (255)
        "Ring Of Fire" (42)
        "Barstow" (29)
        "Garden Grow" (28)
        "Crooked Miles" (23)
        "Kisses" (21)
        "Sailing Boat" (17)
        "My True Love Loves Me" (16)
 10: "The River And The Thread," Rosanne Cash [Blue Note, 1/14] (246)
        "Feather's Not A Bird" (43)
        "Sunken Lands" (32)
        "When The Master Calls The Roll" (32)
        "Etta's Tune" (29)
        "50,000 Watts" (20)
        "Long Way Home" (16)
        "Modern Blue" (16)

Top Folk Songs of 2014 (reported airplay)

Richard Gillman has compiled the Top Folk Songs of 2014 based on 159,806 airplays from 184 different DJs (the Folk DJ listserve). Here are the first ten -- hit the link for the entire list:

1. "King Of The Folksingers" (84)
        by Tim Grimm
        from "The Turning Point"
2. "Holed Up In Mason City" (66)
        by John Gorka
        from "Bright Side Of Down"
3. "Eliza Jane" (64)
        by Eliza Gilkyson
        from "The Nocturne Diaries"
4. "Green, Green Rocky Road" (63)
        by Dave Van Ronk
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
5. "Lake" (60)
        by Tim Grimm
        from "The Turning Point"
6. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" (57)
        by Red Molly
        from "The Red Album"
6. "Riding The Train" (57)
        by Joe Crookston
        from "Georgia I'm Here"
8. "Fare Thee Well" (56)
        by Oscar Isaac And Marcus Mumford
        from "Inside Llewyn Davis"
9. "Bright Side Of Down" (55)
        by John Gorka
        from "Bright Side Of Down"
10. "Homeward Bound" (53)
        by Red Molly
        from "The Red Album"
10. "She's That Kind Of Mystery" (53)
        by John Gorka
        from "Bright Side Of Down

Fred Eaglesmith still chugging along

Hays Davis features Fred Eaglesmith, one of the more irreverent singer-songwriters around today. This may be treading on sacred ground but a book on Eaglesmith, like the ones on Townes Van Zant, would be a great read.