If there is any folksinger on the scene today who most embodies the whole history of the Newport stage, I'd have to say that person is Justin Townes Earle. Unfortunately, the singer, who was originally scheduled to appear for the first time at Newport this Sunday, has injured his hand to such an extent that it required 19 stitches. Not exactly the kind of circumstance through which one should or could play a guitar.

In his place, however, the fine folks at Newport Folk Festival, have booked Elvis Perkins in Dearland. I caught Perkins at Folks Fest in Colorado a few years back, and he was one of my favorite performers of that weekend. I caught him again at Bumbershoot last year and was impressed by how much his creative, imaginative heavily-folk-influenced indie rock had grown. If you're headed to Newport this weekend, definitely make a point of swinging by his set. You can also check out these other non-headliner artists you don't want to miss.

photo: Elvis Perkins promo photo

Newport Folk Festival (coming up this weekend, July 30-Aug 1) has a long history of being one of the most beloved American folk music festivals. Though their lineup these days encompasses many styles of music outside of what's generally considered "folk," it's still a huge destination for fans of American folk music.

If you're headed to Newport this week, it goes without saying you should catch headliners. (In 2010, major artists are Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Rangers, John Prine, Brandi Carlile, Levon Helm, Avett Brothers, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, and more.) But, which of the lesser-known artists do you not want to miss? Here's a Top 5 to help you out.

photo © Kim Ruehl/About.com

From "Kumbaya" to "American Pie" and beyond, people love singing along when somebody picks up a guitar. yAs you head out for summer camping trips and road trips, wander the campfires at folk festivals or are exploring a National Park, leading a sing-along is a great way to entertain yourself and your friends at night. To help you out, here's a look at some popular American folk songs that most people know enough to sing along on.

Don't see something that strikes you as a standard campfire tune? Share your favorites: What's your favorite campfire singalong song?

image © United Artists

The Avett Brothers' latest disc, I and Love and You has, inarguably, been their most popular effort to date. It's appealed to mainstream and indie rock audiences as often as folk and Americana crowds (if not, in some cases, even moreso). But, it managed to maintain that Avett integrity and honesty present in all their previous albums. (Check out my full review.)

This fall, Oct. 5, 2010, the band of brothers will release their third live album - titled, appropriately, Live Volume 3. The disc will also come with a live DVD featuring performances which, according to a press release, were "recorded on August 8, 2009 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC." The DVD will also include some documentary and interviews with the band.

In the meantime, you can check out this video the Avetts recently shot for "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" from I and Love and You. It's streaming exclusively at NPR.

photo: Karl Walter/Getty Images