Folk Artists K-R

Paul Robeson was well-known for his hauntingly powerful voice, but was also one of the most ardent folksinger activists during the Civil Rights Movement. Learn more about the live and work of Paul Robeson, with this biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Phosphorescent is the musical brainchild of singer-songwriter Matthew Houck, whose music has been compared to that of Iron and Wine and Neil Young, among others. Learn more about this up-and-coming artist with this complete Phosphorescent biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Kaiser Cartel are one of the most creative singer-songwriter duos rising on the contemporary folk scene these days. Learn more about Kaiser Cartel's music with this introductory biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Patty Larkin has been writing great contemporary folk songs for 25 years now, and has even earned her own day from the city of Boston. Learn more about Patty Larkin's music and career with this full biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

The Low Anthem has been rapidly climbing through the national contemporary folk scene in the past few years. Learn more about the Low Anthem's music and biography, including recommended albums and Low Anthem MP3s.

Laura Nyro achieved more success when other artists recorded the songs she wrote, than through her own recordings. However, her music has moved generations of songwriters, and has been performed by everyone from Kanye West to Suzanne Vega and beyond. In 2009, Nyro was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Learn more about Laura Nyro.

Phil Ochs was one of the best topical singers of his time, focusing heavily on political and protest music. While his life and career were tragically abbreviated when he committed suicide in 1976 at the age of 35, he managed to pen some of American folk music's finest topical songs. What's your favorite song by Phil Ochs?

Paleface released his 12th album in spring 2009, after packing up his things and moving from Brooklyn's tight and vibrant music scene down to North Carolina. Part-coaxed by his friends the Avett Brothers, he got to work on 'The Show Is on the Road' and released it Apr. 28, 2009, on Ramseur Records. Here he talks with me about the new disc and his new hometown.

Belleville Outfit is a tough band to categorize. Blending jazz, folk, country, and indie rock styles, Belleville Outfit is attracting attention all over the musical spectrum. Learn more about Belleville Outfit, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Ben Kweller has been called one of the best new singer-songwriters on the contemporary folk and acoustic rock scene. Learn more about Ben Kweller, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Mixing folk music with a little bit of humor helped the Kingston Trio to catapult to stardom in the late 1950s and '60s.

Country singer, contemporary folk songwriter, actor extraordinare - Kris Kristofferson is a songwriters' songwriter.

Langhorne Slim is an exciting up-and-coming artist on the contemporary singer-songwriter scene these days. Find out more about Langhorne Slim and the War Eagles with this biography and profile.

One of Canada's greatest and most prolific singer/songwriters.

Alan Lomax was the son of the folklorist John Lomax, whose primary focus was cowboy songs. Howard Odum was another notable folklorist who focused on African-American folk songs.

America's preeminent folklorist and musicologist, John Lomax headed the Archive of American Folk Music and helped to chronicle the music of the American south.

An original Blue Grass Boy, now one of the frontrunners of the Bluegrass resurgence.

Learn more about the man credited with starting Bluegrass.

Monsters of Folk started playing together in 2004, but didn't manage to wrap their first album until 2009. Now one of the folk and rock world's most buzzed-about supergroups, learn more about Conor Oberst, Jim James, Mike Mogis, and M Ward - also known as the Monsters of Folk.

The Mountain Goats' lead singer John Darnielle has played with several other bands that Mountain Goats fans should check out, including the Congress and the Salvation Brothers. Fans of Bob Dylan, the Byrds, and the Gourds may be interested in the Mountain Goats.

One of the staunchest, most influential American protest songwriters.

The New Lost City Ramblers made their first record in 1958, and have released more than two dozen albums over the course of their 50-year career.

Learn all about Joanna Newsom—contemporary singer-songwriter and harpist extraordinaire, including recommended CDs, a bio, and Joanna Newsom MP3s.

In his unfortunately short lifetime, Phil managed to create some of the most timeless and poignant topical songs of his generation; many of which have stood up as inspiration for contemporary topical songwriters.

Known for her powerful stage presence and incredible voice, Odetta is one of the most revered African-American folksingers.

Protest singer Tom Paxton's career has spanned four decades and over 50 albums. Learn more about one of America's most talented and prolific singer/songwriters.

Old Crow Medicine Show formed in New York City in 1998 and wasted no time hitting the road to take their 5-piece envelope-pushing Americana music around the country. Pulling from traditional folk and bluegrass, melding it together with an indie rock and punk flavor, OCMS quickly won over fans at clubs and festivals across the U.S. Learn more about Old Crow Medicine Show.

Or, the Whale is one of the best up-and-coming bands on the indie folk scene. Learn more about this great new group from San Francisco, including recommended CDs and Or the Whale MP3s.

The quintessential folk trio from the sixties who were instrumental in building the bridge between topical folk music and mainstream pop

Chris Thile's latest incarnation is called the Punch Brothers. Learn more about this innovative folk-jazz group that everyone's talking about.

Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers were one of the biggest influences on bluegrass pioneers, with their swinging brand of old time music in the 1920s.

One of the most influential and inimitable American songwriters.

Railroad Earth has been said to be the equivalent of Grateful Dead on Bluegrass instruments. The band blends swing, blues, bluegrass, folk, celtic, and all other sorts of Americana into a jam band-ish mix of darn-good-time.

Folk-pop singer/songwriter Josh Radin may have started his career as a screenwriter, but he's now enjoying a whirlwind experience performing around the country as a musician.

Consummate teller of tales, finder of songs, and singer of stories; Ramblin' Jack was one of Woody Guthrie's most dedicated proteges, and has become somewhat of an American legend.

Her music is powerfully soulful and clearly rooted in folk, gospel and the blues. Her presence on stage is electrifying and unignorable, and it's no wonder—Toshi Reagon has been performing for much of her life.

Tony Rice is one of the most well-respected artists in contemporary folk and bluegrass music, and one of the most innovative guitarists around. Learn more about Tony Rice's career and music.

Born and bred in Texas, Brian Wright calls to mind other Texas-bred troubadours - Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, more recently Hayes Carll - Wright's music at once marries folk, country, and rock music while defying all three. Learn more about Brian Wright with this brief bio and profile.

James Vincent McMorrow is one of 2011's biggest buzz artists in the folk and acoustic music community. His debut album 'Early in the Morning' has been making waves on both sides of the pond, due to its whispering, quiet beauty and genuine, earnest heartbreak songs. Learn more about James Vincent McMorrow with this basic biography and profile,...

The Knitters were an offshoot of popular California-based punk band X. Consisting of X alumni John Doe and Exene Cervenka, and others, the Knitters named themselves as a spoof on the Weavers, and forged a new path for a style of music which became known as cowpunk.

Milk Carton Kids - Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale - are one of 2011's most buzzed-about up-and-coming folk duos. Embodying the same simplicity of earlier folk duos like Simon & Garfunkel and the intuitive harmonies of the Indigo Girls, Milk Carton Kids are definitely a new folk artist to watch. Learn more about Ryan and Pattengale with this...

The Mamas & the Papas were one of the most successful and beloved folk-pop bands of the mid-late 1960s. Learn more about this dynamic quartet with this Mamas & the Papas bio and profile.

Pokey Lafarge and his band the South City Three are one of the hottest up-and-coming artists on the folk and Americana scene these days. Before you head out to catch them on the road this year, check out this brief bio and profile of Pokey Lafarge & the South City Three, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn about North Carolina-based septet Lost in the Trees with this introductory bio, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn more about Grammy and Americana Award-winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale with this introductory bio and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn more about English folk-rock band Mumford and Sons, with this introductory biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn more about Vermont-based singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell, with this basic introductory biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn more about British singer-songwriter Laura Marling with this introductory biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn more about legendary folk-blues player Leadbelly (aka Huddie Ledbetter) with this introductory biography and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.

Learn more about folk and bluegrass singer Claire Lynch with this introductory bio and profile, including recommended CDs and MP3s.