Folk Music: Most Popular Articles

Classic Anti-War Protest Songs
Folk songs cover topics ranging from historical events to songs about food and cars. However, the songs that stick with us the longest are generally songs about overcoming struggle; the moments when the world is quietly hoping for change, but one single Folksinger has the nerve to stand on a stage, open their mouth, and sing out against injustice.

Civil Rights Songs
The songs on this list don't even begin to capture the hundreds of tunes that have been written about race relations in America (and around the world), but if you're looking to learn more about music during the civil rights movement, this is a good primer for your journey.

Folk Music Timeline
When looking at the very big picture, the truth is that American folk music stretches way back to the very beginnings of the country, and recording the date the first official folk song was penned would be next to impossible. What is possible is to talk about how and when folk music started to be presented as a "product" to the American people, and how songs native to Appalachia, for example, became accessible to folks in California...

New Protest Songs
I've seen a lot on blogs all over the Web recently where people have been complaining that there are so few musicians writing new protest songs these days, particularly given our current political climate. Of course there are plenty of new songs coming out that were written in protest to the war and the Bush administration, and this list touches on just a few of the great new topical tunes out there.

Folk Music History
A brief history of one of America's richest traditions - American folk music.

NYC Open Mics
Open Mics are a great way of meeting other musicians, scoping your local community of folksingers, and just staying in good form as a performer. In New York, I found open mic nights to be an essential part of getting acquainted with the scene and learning how to get booked around town. There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of clubs all over New York, but this list will keep you busy at least six days a week.

Top 60 of the 60s
This is a list of some of the greatest songs of the 1960s folk revival, alphabetically by the artist's first name. If you don't see a song that you think belongs on this list, please drop your vote in the folk music forum.

Best Bluegrass Artists
Bluegrass has its roots in celtic folk music, but has become a musical genre that covers a vastly diverse pool of musicians. If you're a new fan of the genre, this list of players can give you a really good start on your burgeoning bluegrass knowledge.

Folksingers & Civil Rights
On the day that Martin Luther King, Jr., stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and spoke to what was the largest gathering of its kind to ever set foot in Washington, D.C., he was joined by Joan Baez, who began the morning with an African-American spiritual tune called, “Oh Freedom.”

Ani Difranco
With nearing 20 years and nearly 20 albums under her belt, tireless touring, and a record company all her own, Ani Difranco is one of the most prolific and respected artists in contemporary American folk music

Top 10 Singer/Songwriters
From Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell to Ani Difranco, here's a look at ten of the best American folk music singer/songwriters of all time.

"Blowin' in the Wind"
Blowin' in the Wind is, inarguably, one of the most popular protest songs in the history of the craft, although when Bob Dylan introduced it to the world in 1962, he insisted it wasn't a protest song.

We Shall Overcome
A look at one of the most memorable American folk song anthems from the Civil Rights movement - "We Shall Overcome."

Citizen Cope
What is folk music? Why is it important? Does it still exist, or is it something that went away after Vietnam? What artists are inspired by folk music, and who feels compelled to carry on the folk traditions? Here's what some folk artists have told me in interviews as answers to all these questions.

What is a dobro?
This acoustic instrument was added to the Bluegrass band line-up by Lester Flatt in the 1950s. Learn more.

Best Open Mic Nights
Open mic nights are a great way to try out new material, or to check out your local Folk scene. Besides, it's free entertainment, and if you don't like the guy who's singing now, a new one will be up in 10 minutes.

Influential Folk Music Artists
Here's a look at ten of the most influential artists who have ever tried their hand at American folk music, bluegrass, alt.country, and any other form of Americana.

African American Folk Music
From the blues to zydeco, and jazz to hip-hop; from the slave-era spirituals about struggle and personal empowerment to the forefathers of rock & roll, America’s roots music is absolutely replete with the influence of the African-American community.

Best Folk Artists of All Time
Here's a look at the best singer/songwriters, artists and bands in the history of American folk music.

Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is the king of changing styles, and one of American folk music's most prolific and influential singer/songwriters.

James Taylor
James Taylor is everyone's favorite sensitive singer/songwriter. His career has spanned three decades and taken him from relative obscurity to a level where he is one of the most celebrated songwriters of our time. Here's a profile and more information about singer-songwriter James Taylor.

Pete Seeger
Singer/songwriter Pete Seeger is best known for his topical and anthemic Folk songs, like "We Shall Overcome," and "If I Had a Hammer."

Songs for Earth Day
In celebration of Earth Day, here's a quick list of great American folk songs celebrating the earth and moving for preservation of the natural beauty around us.

Joan Baez
Inarguably the godmother of modern folk music, Joan Baaez is one of the most devoted singer/songwriter/activists.

Folk Guitars
The acoustic guitar remains the most prevalent instrument in Folk music. Here is a list of the guitars most commonly employed by Folk's greatest players.

Important Women in Folk
From Janis Ian to Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez to Ani Difrnaco, this is a list of some of the most important women in American Folk Music.

Alison Krauss
A prodigious fiddle player and protege of Bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe, Alison Krauss and her band Union Station are one of the hottest and most talented bluegrass music groups around.

Best in Protest Music 2006
With midterm elections pending in early November, 2006 was a year full of songs protesting the Iraq War, the Bush administration, and various other topics at hand. Following is a list of some of the best and most poignant American folk songs released in protest in 2006.

Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie is often considered the grandfather of topical American folk songs. Responsible for timeless folk songs like "This Land is Your Land" and "Pastures of Plenty," Woody Guthrie has influenced just about every contemporary American folk singer.

Labor Songs
Folk music has a long relationship with labor struggles, and particularly labor unions. Here's a peak at some of the most notable, most fun, and most poignant labor tunes in Folk history.

This Land is Your Land
A brief history of "This Land is Your Land" - one of America's most memorable and timeless folk songs by singer/songwriter pioneer Woody Guthrie.

Best Folk Songs of 2008
Here's a look at some of the best new folk, bluegrass, and alt-country songs of 2008....so far.

What is a folk song?
The folk song is one of the most functional, portable, adaptable and accessible arts of human history.

About American Folk Music
If you're new to American folk music as a genre, this'll be a great first stop index and answers to your questions. It can alsopoint you to the basic information you may want to know before heading out to delve into the genre.

Kerrville Folk Festival
Kerrville Folk Festival is one of the largest and longest running in the nation. Its New Folk showcases and contest are known and respected for eyeing some of the most promising new talent and making folk stars out of artists like John Gorka.

Brandi Carlile
Here's a look at some of the best folk artists I just found out about this year (2006), including folk rockers like Ray LaMontagne and Brandi Carlile, as well as bluegrass bands like The Wilders.

Peter, Paul & Mary
Peter Paul and Mary are the quintessential folk trio from the sixties. They were instrumental in building the bridge between topical folk music and mainstream pop.

Phil Ochs
In his unfortunately short lifetime, Phil Ochs 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.

Bluegrass History
A brief history of the American bluegrass music, from the Foggy Mountain Boys to Nickle Creek.

Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt is the classic cowboy folk and alt.country singer/songwriter

The Weepies - Say I Am You
The Weepies have mastered the integration of everything that makes a song good. "Say I Am You" is absolutely wrought with intuitively poetic lyrics, calm and easy vocals, and hooks so catchy you sing along without realizing you're doing it.

How To Write a Folk Song
I think everyone should try their hand at songwriting now and then. It's an entertaining thing to do on a boring, rainy day; and besides, you never know – you could be the next Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell, and you just don't know it yet.

All About Protest Music
The most remarkable thing about protest music is that it helps people realize they're not alone in feeling a spirit of dissent against certain injustices, whether on a personal or more overarching governmental level.

Try Alternate Tunings
Alternate guitar tunings are a surefire way to pop your strumming hand out of a creative slump.

Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens in one of the most respected artists from the 1970s folk-pop singer/songwriter era.

Alt Country Artists
Alternative Country is Folk's newest grandchild, and its artists and bands run the gamut from what looks like Bluegrass to what looks like Rock and Roll, but one thing binds them all together: they don't sound like anything else on the market.

Brandi Carlile The Story Q&A
Singer/Songwriter Brandi Carlile and her twin collaborators Tim and Phil Hanseroth have been playing together for five years now; but with the release of the band's latest effort [i]The Story[/i], they're drawing in sold out crowds across the country. Carlile's summer tour takes her and the twins to pretty much every corner of the continental U.S. Despite the hectic pace of her schedule, in the midst of her tour with the Indigo Girls, Carlile was kind enough to take some time out for this interview.

Brandi Carlile - Seattle Zoo
This photo gallery features pictures of alt.country singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile live in concert, both solo and with her full band.

Aimee Mann Interview
Now, on her first album in three years, '@#$%*! Smilers' (due out June 3, 2008), her music is a little more rootsy, driven by acoustic guitar and keyboards. I caught up with Mann for a quick chat about the upcoming record, and how going indie has changed her approach to making music.

Songs of Absolute Nonsense
Contrary to popular belief, not all folk songs are all about politics, war, disaster, and serious social issues. Quite a few artists have made great marks on American music by recording songs that range from "silly" to "absolute nonsense."

Best Bluegrass Pickers
Here's a list of ten of the most influential and unforgettable instrumentalists and pickers in the history of American bluegrass music.

Bluegrass 101
A beginners guide to all the ins and outs of American bluegrass music, its history and American bluegrass artists

Walk Hard Soundtrack
If you love classic country music, contemporary folk, protest songs, rockabilly and corny showtune pop songs, and you need a good laugh, look no further. Built on a solid foundation of rather talented songwriters like Dan Bern and Marshall Crenshaw, this soundtrack is mostly just downright funny.

Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is easily one of the most influential American folk music artists of her generation

Neil Young
Neil Young is inarguably one of Folk Rock's most influential and prolific artists

k.d. lang
The darling of the alt.country world, k.d. lang has gone from punker to country singer to crooner, and beyond.

Essential Folk CDs
The Folk genre spans a wide variety of artists. These ten picks are not only the best place to start for new fans, but are a good primer for fans looking to expand their existing collection.

Folk Music
A definition of folk music.

Mardi Gras Songs
Almost from the beginning, the gumbo of French, Canadian, American, and Carribbean cultures has influenced the music of New Orleans and its Mardi Gras celebration. Long story short, traditional music and Mardi Gras go hand and hand. If you've ever walked down Canal Street on Mardi Gras day, you know what I'm talking about. Here are some of the great traditional songs that have become synonymous with American Mardi Gras.

Folk Music Women to Watch
New Folk Women to Watch - Best New Women Artists to Watch in Folk Music

The Weavers
Despite their unfortunately abbreviated career as a group, The Weavers managed to influence a generation of musical activists, and to help provoke a revival of American Folk Music.

Greg Brown
Folk-blues troubador Greg Brown is best known for his low, grumbly voice and smooth, poetic lyrics that knock you silly.

African-American Folk Artists
African-American artists have played an enormous part in American folk music, from the permutation of slave spirituals to field recordings, songs of the civil rights and feminist movements, and beyond. From gospel to blues and jazz to rock and roll, these artists have influenced and inspired generations of Americana artists and songwriters, and here are five of the most notable African-American artists in American folk music.

Brandi Carlile Live at WWU
Curled up on a too-small couch, in a too-small dressing room of Western Washington University's Performing Arts Center, Brandi Carlile fiddles with the leaves of a fake plastic tree hanging over her head while she describes life on the road. (Contributed by Laura Gentry)

Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot is one of Canada's greatest and most prolific singer/songwriters.

"Oh! Susanna"
Oftentimes in traditional American folk music, a song is around long enough to evolve, gain and lose verses, and change meaning. "Oh! Susanna" is a great example of this.

The Weepies - Hideaway
The Weepies' last album, 'Say I Am You,' was a lovely collection of songs about newfound love and self discovery. Now, a couple of years later, on 'Hideaway,' the duo has resorted to ooey-gooey feel good songs that in some cases hit, and in others miss.

Best Folk Venues and Clubs
There are a lot of things that separate great folk venues from dive rock bars that allow folk musicians on the bill. These venues fill all those qualifications, and many of them go even further to make sure your playing and listening experience is top-notch.

Iron and Wine
Iron and Wine is a "band" made up of Florida-based singer/songwriter Sam Beam either solo or occasionally with friends, and is one of the artists at the forefront of the new 21st century folk-pop revival.

Paul Simon
Originally one-half of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon has continuously innovated and invigorated contemporary American folk music with the influences of the Caribbean, Africa, and world beats.

Merlefest '08 Artists to Watch
Merlefest 2008 will be held the weekend of April 24-27 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. If you're headed to one of the folk and bluegrass world's favorite festivals, here's a list of artists you won't want to miss.

Harmonica Background
The Harmonica is, aside from the human voice and your own two hands, the most portable instrument used in traditional American folk music. Most harmonicas are small enough that they fit perfectly in any pocket.

History of alt.country
A brief history of alt.country (aka Alternative Country or New Country) music. With artists ranging from Lucinda Williams to Uncle Tupelo, alt.country is one of the more diverse and seriously rocking forms of Americana.

Hip Hop and Folk Music
Hip Hop started out as a Folk movement, and now rappers and hip hop artists like Kanye West and Common are bringing the social conscience back to their craft.

2006 GRAMMY Review
A look back at this year's Grammy Award winners in American folk music.

Tim O'Brien
With his unmatchable command of fiddle, guitar, and other instruments and his cannon of original and traditional material, Tim O'Brien's influence is felt throughout the folk and bluegrass worlds.

Lester Flatt
Lester Flatt is often considered one of the greatest bluegrass artists of all time. As an early member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys and then through nearly 20 years of collaboration with Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt made an indelible mark on American bluegrass.

Judy Collins
Judy Collins is one of America's favorite traditional and contemporary topical singer/songwriters.

Amos Lee
What is folk music? Why is it important? Does it still exist, or is it something that went away after Vietnam? What artists are inspired by folk music, and who feels compelled to carry on the folk traditions? Here's what some folk artists have told me in interviews as answers to all these questions.

Great New Folk Songs
Some people are of the mind that a folk song isn't a folk song until it's been around for a long time. I tend to disagree, for the most part, and I happen to think the last couple of years have produced some excellent new folk songs. Here's a look at ten of the great new folk songs that have come out in the past year.

Falcon Ridge
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival one of the largest folk festivals in the US, and one of the most widely-attended.

Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash touched on gospel, country, folk, folk-rock and alt.country over the course of his career. Here's a look at the music and career of Johnny Cash.

Ani Difranco Interview
Ani Difranco talks with your Folk Music Guide about the state of New Orleans a year after Katrina, the war, protest music, tendonitis, and of course her latest album [i]Reprieve[/i].

Bill Monroe
Learn more about the man credited with starting American bluegrass - mandolin master, extraordinaire Bill Monroe.

Ani DiFranco - Self-Titled
This first studio recording from Ani DiFranco includes classics like "Both Hands" and "Out of Habit."

Blue Rodeo & Kathleen Edwards
The 2006 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival featured an ecclectic blend of Canadian, British, and Australian singer/songwriters, grassrock, political rants, world music a cappella, and other forms of American roots music – including stellar performances by Ani Difranco, The Waifs, Martin Sexton, Kris Kristofferson, and many more...

Ani DiFranco - Verses
There's no question that Ani DiFranco is one of the most influential artists of my generation. Her work as a songwriter, poet, musician and activist has incited and inspired a huge amount of creative action and the social consciences of all her fans. It only made sense, then, that, at some point, she would collect her unsung work into book form. [i]Verses[/i] is such a collection, and it includes a conversation between her and her teacher/mentor, the late Sekou Sundiata.

KT Tunstall Live in Concert
Acoustic Folk-pop/rock singer/songwriter KT Tunstall rolled in Seattle on Friday, January 27, to impress a room full of music fans with her innovative wiles.

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

Best Folk CDs of 2007
From folk-rock to bluegrass, alt.country to singer-songwriters, here's the best folk CDs of 2007.

Andrew Bird
The 2006 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival featured an ecclectic blend of Canadian, British, and Australian singer/songwriters, grassrock, political rants, world music a cappella, and other forms of American roots music – including stellar performances by Ani Difranco, The Waifs, Martin Sexton, Kris Kristofferson, and many more...

Immigration & Folk Music
A century ago, immigrant workers hit the streets to demand fair work conditions and protection under the law, singing the songs of their labor unions. Today, as immigrant workers demonstrate for the right to work in America as they strive for citizenship, their protest songs take a different direction.

Best Bob Dylan Moments
Bob Dylan is one of the most influential singer/songwriters ever, whether you're looking at Folk, Pop, or Rock. His career has enjoyed several twists and turns that have kept fans (and often Bob himself) on their toes. If you don't have the patience for Scorsese's very long Documentary on Dylan, have no fear. I'll sum it up for you by ticking off the ten biggest moments at the start of his career.

Goodnight Irene
From Leadbelly to the Weavers and beyond, "Goodnight Irene" has been a seminal song in American folk music history.

Book a Tour
Sure, you could hire someone else to do it for you, but let's face it - at some point we all decide to book our own tour. Here are some helpful hints that can get you out the door.

No Direction Home
In September 2005, Bob Dylan fans were exposed for the first time to what was possibly the most in-depth peek into the life, times, and work of Bob Dylan. With Martin Scorsese at the helm, the 3.5-hour documentary made its way first onto DVD then into the homes of thousands of Americans, via PBS. The result was really ... interesting!

Indigo Girls
The Indigo Girls are one of the most popular and well-loved duos in Folk Rock. Their luscious harmonies, catchy melodies, and fearless social commentary make them a favorite at festivals and on their own tours.

Kaki King Interview
On an instrument so often dominated by male heroes, King has commanded the attention of guitarists and music fans alike. Now, with her forthcoming album [i]...Until We Felt Red[/i] (Velour, due out Aug. 8, 2006), she enters new territory by adding vocals to her hugely innovative guitar work.

Scruggs Style Banjo
This three-finger picking style was made famous by banjo legend and original Bluegrass Boy Earl Scruggs.

Carolina Chocolate Drops
Dom Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops is not the first person to tell me they think the U.S. is on the verge of an old time music and stringband revival. "All those punk kids," he says, "are dropping their electric guitars and picking up fiddles and banjos."

Pop Stars Who Could Be Folkies
Some folks are of the mind that the label "folk music" pretty much encapsulates every type of music people make. Others tend to be more traditionalists, considering only songs that have been around for a century or more, folk songs. I tend to sit somewhere in the middle, so I decided to develop a list of popular mainstream artists who could pass as folksingers if they'd just lose their shiny, flashy pop facade.

Folk Rock 101
Check out a brief history of Folk Rock, its artists and characteristics

40 yrs. of Clearwater Festival
In 1966, Pete Seeger invited some friends out for an afternoon on someone's lawn. There, he passed his banjo around and shared songs among his musician friends, and managed to raise a couple hundred dollars to help clean up the Hudson River. Since then, the Clearwater Festival (formerly the Great Hudson River Revival), has grown into an annual affair that draws nearly 15,000 visitors.

Dilate
Probably her most astute breakup album, Dilate includes classics like "Untouchable Face," "Napoleon," and the "Shameless."

Alison Krauss + Robert Plant
Bluegrass singer/songwriter/producer/fiddler extraordinaire (and 20-time Grammy winner) Alison Krauss would probably not be the first person I'd think to team up with Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, but then again, Krauss has become quite the master collaborator. On [i]Raising Sand[/i], the pair delves into both artists' genres, while also experimenting with entirely new ground. T Bone Burnett produces.

Influential Folk Guitarists
The guitar is probably the most used instrument in American folk music. It's portability and diverse range of styles and sounds makes it great accompaniment for artists working in myriad musical genres. Every now and then, though, a guitarist comes along that so innovatively attacks their instrument, that they manage to inspire and influence legions of other guitar players. Here's a list of five such contemporary artists who have helped to revolutionize the way the instrument is played.

Road Trip Folk Songs
Here's a list of great new American folk songs to take with you when you head out on those summer road trips.

Go to Open Mic (a pep talk)
Open mic nights are swarming with people who just love making music. And lets face it, those are the people you want to know as you try to forge your career in the cutthroat music industry.

Pieta Brown
Pieta Brown may be Greg Brown's daughter, but her music sounds more like a marriage of Lucinda Williams and Johnny Cash.

All About Bluegrass Music
With bluegrass music constantly making a "comeback" these days, I thought it was high time I give you all the information you need to know before you venture out into the wild world of bluegrass pickers, newgrass rockers, and old time string bands.

Not a Pretty Girl
Not a Pretty Girl, Ani DiFranco's "breakthrough" record (if there is such a thing), includes "Cradle and All," "Shy," and "32 Flavors."

Out of Range
Ani DiFranco's Out of Range CD features percussionist Andy Stochansky, and some fabulous classics, like "The Diner," "Buildings and Bridges," and the title track.

Holly Near
Holly Near is often considered one of the best protest singers and songwriters

Dan Bern
Dan Bern is one of the hardest-working Singer/Songwriters in the Folk world. His music runs the gamut from raw & sentimental Folk songs to the talking blues, to some of the rockin'est Folk-Rock around!

Independence Day Songs
American folk songs aren't all about protesting something; there are also plenty of great tunes that pay homage to America. Included on this list are particularly songs that make reference to American Independence Day. Some of them seem to only refer to the 4th of July in passing, but the themes the songs depict embrace the spirit of American patriotism just as much.

Brandi Carlile The Story Q&A
[i]Singer/Songwriter Brandi Carlile and her twin collaborators Tim and Phil Hanseroth have been playing together for five years now; but with the release of the band's latest effort [i]The Story[/i], they're drawing in sold out crowds across the country. Carlile's summer tour takes her and the twins to pretty much every corner of the continental U.S. Despite the hectic pace of her schedule, in the midst of her tour with the Indigo Girls, Carlile was kind enough to take some time out for this interview.[/i]

Sierra Hull at IBMA
Here are photos from the 2007 IBMA World of Bluegrass Conference and Awards Ceremony, featuring bands like Mountain Heart, Grass Cats, Meantime, Dale Ann Bradley, Tony Trischka, Rhonda Vincent and more.

Brett Dennen Interview
I caught up with Brett Dennen on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War, which inspired considerable conversation about how a single songwriter can help to change the world.

Tribute to Townes Van Zant
It snowed all day in Seattle, but none of it stuck to the ground. Somehow, that seemed to fit into the fact that there was a slue of local singer/songwriters hitting the stage that night to pay tribute to the late, great Townes Van Zandt.

Michael Franti & Spearhead
Michael Franti and Spearhead - This folk-hop group is best known for their catchy and biting songs of protest and social justice.

Indigo Girls 6/17/07
Maybe it was the rain, or maybe it's just the excellence of their decades-long collaboration, but the Indigo Girls showed no signs of letting any of it slow them down.

Phil Hanseroth, Josh Neumann
This photo gallery features pictures of alt.country singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile live in concert, both solo and with her full band.

To the Teeth
This album's scathing title track calls to mind the massacre at Columbine, while other highlights like "Going Once" and "Freakshow" talk about touring life.

Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen is one of Canada's greatest poets, novelists, and contemporary folk singer/songwriters.

Knuckle Down
Knuckle Down features more great songs from Ani DiFranco during her "back to basics" period, including "Lag Time," "Studying Stones," and "Sunday Morning."

John Prine
John Prine is one of the most influential and inimitable American songwriters.

Ani DiFranco Babeville DVD
'Ani DiFranco: Live at Babeville' is a sweet frozen moment in time, where the foursome seems to be finally figuring each other out. Where DiFranco, the band leader, has found her footing and figured a trick to balancing her roles as poet, singer, songwriter, activist, artist, and icon.

Top 20 Folk CDs
Updated weekly, this is a list of the week's best-selling folk, bluegrass, Americana and roots recordings.

Living in Clip
After almost ten years of touring pretty much nonstop, Ani DiFranco released her first live album—Living in Clip: a two-disc set featuring her greatest hits to that point.

If You Like Ani Difranco ...
Ani Difranco came on the scene about fifteen years ago, and has followed with a seemingly endless amount of fantastic work. If you’re among the legions of fans in Righteous Babe-land, Ani may be the first folk artist to whom you’ve ever paid much attention. Believe you me, though, there is a whole legacy of great folk artists preceding her, and hopefully this list will give you a great start as you learn more about the tradition from whence she came.

2007 Grammy Review
The 2007 Grammy Awards were pretty much all about the Dixie Chicks. Here's my review of the show and a list of winners in the folk music categories.

Railroad Earth
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.

Best Folk Concerts 2007
At any given time, there are literally hundreds of American folksingers on the road, spanning the U.S. Interstate highway system to bring their craft to your small town or big city. Here's a look at some of the best concerts and performances by folk, bluegrass and alt.country artists in 2007.

Living With War CD Review
No doubt, Young will get a lot of flak for this record. After all, he's a Canadian citizen bashing American policy; but he's not alone. In this year of protest albums (Ben Harper's latest record, Bruce Springsteen's tribute to Pete Seeger, Ani DiFranco's forthcoming post-Katrina musical commentary, etc.), Young proves that he's just adding his voice to the choir.

Janis Ian
Janis Ian is one of the most consistently loved, and most prolific singer/songwriters.

Rhonda Vincent
2006 was absolutely wrought with incredible releases from tried-and-true folk artists, as well as some exciting up-and-comers. Here's a list at some of the best work to come out of the worlds of folk music, bluegrass and alt.country over the course of 2006.

Amos Lee Interview
Your folk music Guide sits down for a phone interview with folk-soul innovator Amos Lee, live from his hometown of Philadelphia.

Cornbread Nation
Some of the most well-arranged versions of traditional American Old Time and Bluegrass tunes, as well as some of O'Brien's excellent originals.

k.d. lang Interview
In conjunction with the release of her album [i]Reintarnation[/i] k.d. lang was kind enough to sit down for this brief & telling interview.

Pete Seeger Covers
Fans of Pete Seeger know well that Bruce Springsteen is hardly the first person to put out an album of material that’s typically associated with this living legend. As a matter of fact, some of Pete’s greatest tunes have been popularized by pretty much everyone other than Seeger himself.

Like I Said
Ani DiFranco's Like I Said is a "Greatest Hits" CD from the first two years of Ani's studio record-making. Included are revised versions of "Both Hands," "Anticipate," and more.

I'll Fly Away - Gospel CD
[i]I'll Fly Away[/i] is a CD full of Christian hymns and Gospel-inspired bluegrass tunes, and believers will appreciate this lovely compilation of well-arranged folk songs. But that doesn't mean non-believers need to shy away, either. There's plenty on this disc for everyone, with performances by Dolly Parton, Sara Watkins, Kortnie Heying, Ed Cash, Vince Gill and more.

Imperfectly
Ani DiFranco's CD, Imperfectly, includes songs like "In Or Out," "I'm No Heroine," and the poem "Coming Up."

Kimya Dawson
Kimya Dawson's imagery-laden narrative songs are so original, it's hard to draw comparisons. Fans of Cat Stevens, Paul Simon, and Ani DiFranco will likely enjoy her work, even though it doesn't sound much like those artists.

Ann Wilson - Hope and Glory
It's been a long time coming for this rock and roll vocalist. Her fans have long been looking forward to the day when Wilson would release her solo album. What's remarkable about this disc is that she chose, her first time out, to record some of the great, influential songs of the 20th century, from artists like Elton John to Led Zeppelin, Lucinda Williams and Bob Dylan.

Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead were pioneers of the jam band scene, and have had a profound influence on how bluegrass, r&b, avant-garde jazz, folk, and rock music have interacted with one another ever since.

Background of the Banjo
From the slave fields to the minstrels, to the parlors, to picking parties, jam nights, and now concert halls and folk venues, the banjo is a staple in just about every form of traditional music ... despite all the jokes.

Brandi Carlile Live 10/25/07
It's been almost seven months since Brandi Carlile's breakthrough album The Story hit stores, and as long since she and her band by the same name hit the road in support of the record. That's a long time to be cooped up in a bus, sleep-deprived and lacking for a good meal. So it's no wonder the band looked a little road-weary at the start of their set at Portland's Crystal Ballroom.

Wilco
alt.country, roots rock, folk rock, Americana—call them what you will. Wilco has done it all.

Canon
Ani DiFranco's greatest hits CD, Canon is an excellent collection of her classics, as well as a handful of rather well-done re-recorded tunes.