Reviews and Recommendations
By Kim Ruehl, About.com Guide
If you're looking for good folk music, bluegrass, alt-country, folk-rock, and protest music CDs, this is where you want to be.What books are essential to your collection, and what folk music movies and concert videos are a must-see?
- New Releases, Recent Reviews
- Classics and Essentials
- New Folks and Up-and-Comers
- Books and Movies About Folk Music
New Releases, Recent Reviews

Check out some of the latest albums released by old and new artists alike. This is where you'll find the albums I recommend for folk, bluegrass, alt-country, folk-rock and protest singers alike.
- Alison Krauss & Union Station - 'Paper Airplane'
- Bob Dylan - 'Live at Brandeis'
- Bob Dylan - 'Bootleg Series Vol. 9: Witmark Demos 1962-64'
- Buddy Miller - 'Majestic Silver Strings'
- The Decemberists - 'The King Is Dead'
- Emmylou Harris - 'Hard Bargain'
- Justin Townes Earle - 'Harlem River Blues'
- Loudon Wainwright III - '40 Odd Years' [box set]
- Sarah Jarosz - 'Follow Me Down'
- Wailin' Jennys - 'Bright Morning Stars'
Classics and Essentials

The best way to learn about folk music is to start with the classic essential folk artists and CDs.
- Top 10 Essential Folk CDs
- Folk Music Guitar Greats
- Important African-American Artists
- Most Influential Folk Artists
New Folks and Up-and-Comers

Here are some of the best new artists and unknowns, their CDs and information about their live shows.
- Best New Folk Artists of the 2000s
- New Folk Women to Watch
- Folk Music Trends in 2010
- New Folk Music Releases for 2011
- Brian Wright
Books and Movies About Folk Music

If CDs aren't enough folk music for you, here are some books and movies you should check out to learn more.
- Best Folk Music Movies
- 'Bob Dylan 1990-2006: The Never-Ending Narrative' (documentary)
- 'Chasin' Gus' Ghost' (film about jug bands)
- 'Joan Baez: Carry It On' (documentary)
- 'Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound' (documentary)
- 'I'm Not There' (film about Bob Dylan)
- 'Be Here to Love Me' (film about Townes Van Zandt)
