Janis Ian interviewed

Joshua Tehee interviews Janis Ian and the name of singer-songwriter Diana Jones pops up.

It obviously goes way back and many performers prefer referencing to their newer material but nobody captured teenage angst better than Ian with "At Seventeen."

Ian plays in Santa Cruz on March 31.

Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer with "Child Ballads"

Kim Ruehl profiles the "Child Ballads" -- the  latest from Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer. Here's some background via Wilipedia.

Jim Farber on folk music

Jim Farber digs into the current folk music sound -- here's a snippet:

 - The ’40s had Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Burl Ives.

- The ’50s saw the Weavers, Harry Belafonte and the Kingston Trio.

- The ’60s brought everyone from Bob Dylan and the Byrds in the U.S. to Donovan and Fairport Convention in the U.K.

- The ’70s saw the heyday of “sensitive” singer-songwriters, from Joni Mitchell to Cat Stevens to James Taylor.

- The electro ’80s rebounded with Tracy Chapman and Suzanne Vega.

- Not to be outdone, the ’90s begat the whole Americana movement.

The Top 100 Folk Music Releases of 2012

Roots Music Report has compiled the Top 100 Folk Music Releases of 2012 according to airplay. As a tease, here are the Top 20:

1 PIETA BROWN MERCURY
2 CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS LEAVING EDEN    
3 ROSE COUSINS WE HAVE MADE A SPARK    
4 SHAWN COLVIN ALL FALL DOWN    
5 LUCY KAPLANSKY REUNION    
6 WOODY GUTHRIE WOODY AT 100    
7 CAROLINE HERRING CAMILLA    
8 MARK KNOPFLER PRIVATEERING    
9 RED MOLLY LIGHT IN THE SKY    
10 CAHALEN MORRISON & ELI WEST     OUR LADY OF THE TALL TREES    
11 NANCI GRIFFITH INTERSECTION    
12 RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM SOME BRIGHT MORNING    
13 MUMFORD & SONS BABEL    
14 THE REFUGEES 3    
15 ABIGAIL WASHBURN CITY OF REFUGE    
16 100 MILE HOUSE HOLLOW PONDS    
17 THE HARD ROAD TRIO MONTICELLO    
18 MALCOLM HOLCOMBE DOWN THE RIVER    
19 SARAH MCQUAID THE PLUM TREE AND THE ROSE    
20 THE HONEY DEWDROPS SILVER LINING    

The Top 100 Roots Country Releases of 2012

Roots Music Report has compiled the Top 100 Roots Country Releases of 2012 according to airplay. As a tease, here are the Top 20 (there certainly some interesting inclusions in this category):

1 DARRELL SCOTT LONG RIDE HOME
2 ROBERT EARL KEEN READY FOR CONFETTI
3 RODNEY CROWELL KIN - SONGS BY MARY KARR & RODNEY CROWELL   
4 CORB LUND CABIN FEVER   
5 JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE     NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT ME NOW   
6 RAY WYLIE HUBBARD THE GRIFTER'S HYMNAL   
7 WILLIE NELSON HEROES   
8 SARA WATKINS SUN MIDNIGHT SUN   
9 JIMMY LAFAVE DEPENDING ON THE DISTANCE   
10 MARTY STUART & HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES NASHVILLE VOL. 1 -- TEAR THE WOODPILE DOWN   
11 THE LITTLE WILLIES FOR THE GOOD TIMES   
12 ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO BIG STATION   
13 MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER ASHES AND ROSES   
14 DWIGHT YOAKAM 3 PEARS   
15 ZOE MUTH & THE LOST HIGH ROLLERS OLD GOLD   
16 RAYLAND BAXTER FEATHERS AND FISH HOOKS   
17 MISS TESS SWEET TALK   
18 GILLIAN WELCH THE HARROW & THE HARVEST   
19 JOE ELY SATISFIED AT LAST   
20 RYAN ADAMS ASHES & FIRE    

Glory be to Hank Williams

The late Hank Williams offered authentic music that has withstood the proverbial test of time. Peter Cooper offers an intriguing read on the so-called magical mystery tour that was Williams' last.

A David Wilcox Q-and-A

Kathy S-B interviewed David Wilcox earlier this month.