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.
- Townes Van Zandt - 'Sunshine Boy'
- Mary Gauthier - 'Live at Blue Rock'
- Kris Kristofferson - 'Feeling Mortal'
- 'Gypsies & Clowns: Natalia Zukerman and Friends live at SPACE'
- Bobby Bare - 'Darker Than Light'
- Old Crow Medicine Show - 'Carry Me Back'
- Mumford & Sons - 'Babel'
- The Avett Brothers - 'The Carpenter'
- Tim O'Brien & Darrell Scott - 'We're Usually a Lot Better Than This'
- Bob Dylan - 'Tempest'
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
- Best Folk Duos and Collaborators
- Top 10 Singer/Songwriters
- Essential Bob Dylan Albums
- Folk Albums for Kids
- Essential Ramblin' Jack Albums
New Folks and Up-and-Comers
Here are some of the best new artists and unknowns, their CDs and information about their live shows.
- Albums to Watch in Early 2013
- Best New Folk Artists of the 2000s
- New Folk Women to Watch
- Birds of Chicago
- Anthony da Costa
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)