American Folk (Reference)

This is an eclectic collection of folk-oriented or folk-identified artists, excluding folk-rooted genres listed elsewhere (old-time country, bluegrass, blues, gospel, cajun, celtic).

The reference list includes records that have been obtained and/or rated (in blue) as well as many other records that have been recommended from various sources.


Pat Alger

The Almanac Singers [1941–1942]

Sam Amidon (1981– )

Amy and Leslie

Eric Andersen (1943– )

Jamie Anderson

Lili Añel

Asylum Street Spankers [1996–2014]

Baby Gramps

Daniel Bachman (1989– )

Joan Baez (1941– )

Sam Baker

Cathy Barton

Wendy Beckerman

Milo Binder

Jeff Black

Black Prairie [2010– ]

The Black Twig Pickers [2001– ]

James Blackshaw (1981– )

Robert Sarazin Blake

Jake Blount (1995– )

David Blue (1941–82)

Hugh Blumenfeld (1958– )

Gordon Bok

Laura Boosinger

La Bottine Souriante

Oscar Brand (1920– )

Brandywine Singers

Kate Brislin

David Bromberg (1945– )

Brothers Four [1960– ]

Greg Brown

Richard Buckner

Sandy Bull (1941– )

Tré Burt

Jane Byaela

Andrew Calhoun (1957– )

Terry Callier

Hamilton Camp

Kate Campbell (1961– )

Carolina Chocolate Drops [2005– ]

Anita Carter (1933– )

Casselberry-DuPrée [1985– ]

Tom Chapin

Frank Christian (1948– )

Meg Christian

Chuck & Albert

Lindsay Clark

Slaid Cleaves (1964– )

Judy Collins (1939– )

Connie Converse (1924–74)

Joachim Cooder (1978– )

Rose Cousins (1977– )

Mike Cross

The Cumberland Three [1960– ]

Catie Curtis

Karen Dalton (1938–93)

Barbara Dane (1927– )

Smoke Dawson (1935– )

Iris Dement (1961– )

Brett Dennen

Garry Dial

William Michael Dillon

Disappear Fear [1988– ]

Alix Dobkin

Judy Dunaway

Willie Dunn (1942–2013)

Fred Eaglesmith (1957– )

Cliff Eberhardt

Ramblin' Jack Elliott (1931– )

Erin Rae

John Fahey (1939–2001)

Ferron (1952– )

Sally Fingerett (1955– )

Dom Flemons

The Foremen [1995– ]

Four Bitchin' Babes [1991– ]

Jackson C. Frank (1943–99)

Jeffrey Frederick

Dori Freeman

Myriam Gendron

Otis Gibbs

Bob Gibson (1931–96)

Rhiannon Giddens (1977– )

Vance Gilbert

Eliza Gilkyson (1950– )

Jane Gillman

Texas Gladden (1895–1967)

Beverly Glenn-Copeland (1944– )

Charles Wesley Godwin

S.G. Goodman

Steve Goodman (1948–84)

John Gorka

Bruce Greene (1951– )

Patty Griffin (1964– )

Stefan Grossman (1945– )

Arlo Guthrie (1947– )

Woody Guthrie (1912–67)

Brian Harnetty

John Hartford (1937–2001)

Richie Havens (1941–2013)

Hazeldine [1997– ]

Kirby Heard

The Henrys

Judy Henske

Priscilla Herdman

Carolyn Hester (1937– )

High Country

Anne Hills

Tish Hinojosa (1955– )

Hobo Jim

Robin Holcomb (1954– )

Roscoe Holcomb (1912–81)

Lonnie Holley (1950– )

David Holt (1946– )

Holy Modal Rounders [1963– ]

David Holt (1946– )

Cisco Houston (1918–61)

Lena Hughes (1904–98)

Sonya Hunter

Michael Hurley (1941– )

Hurray for the Riff Raff

Ian and Sylvia [1962–1973]

Eileen Ivers (1965– )

Burl Ives (1909–95)

Kara Jackson (2000– )

Victor Jara

Ella Jenkins (1924– )

Josh Joffen

Joy Kills Sorrow

Tom Juravich

Brenda Kahn

Si Kahn (1941– )

Cindy Kallet

Paul Kaplan

Robert Earl Keen Jr. (1956– )

Tom Kell

Kirk Kelly

Grant King

Kingston Trio [1956–1968]

Spider John Koerner (1938– )

Leo Kottke (1945– )

John Kruth (1955– )

Jim Kweskin (1940– )

Pokey LaFarge

Stephanie Lambring

Patty Larkin

Christine Lavin (1951– )

Eddy Lawrence

Jeffrey Lewis (1975– )

Gordon Lightfoot (1938–2023)

The Limeliters [1959–1965]

Alan Lomax (1915–2002)

Lost and Found [1973– ]

Laura Love

Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1882–1973)

Rod MacDonald (1949– )

Dave Mallett (1951– )

Mama's Broke

Cindy Mangsen (1950– )

David Massengill

Diedre McCalla

Leyla McCalla (1985– )

Cormac McCarthy

Mary McCaslin (1946–2022)

Carol McComb

John McCutcheon

Megan McDonough

Andy McGann (1928– )

Kate and Anna McGarrigle [1976– ]

Lori McKenna (1968– )

Loreena McKennitt (1957– )

Erin McKeown (1977– )

Melanie

Richard Meyer

Bill Miller (1955– )

Dale Miller

Anaïs Mitchell (1981– )

Chad Mitchell (1939– )

Hugh Moffatt (1948– )

Katy Moffatt (1950– )

The Mollys

Bill Morrissey (1951–2011)

Jenni Muldaur (1965– )

Heidi Muller

Zoe Muth

Holly Near

Fred Neil (1937–2001)

Kinloch Nelson (1950– )

Tara Nevins

The New Christy Minstrels [1962– ]

The New Lost City Ramblers [1958– ]

New York City Gay Men's Chorus

Carrie Newcomer

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band [1965– ]

Phil Ochs (1940–76)

Odetta (1930– )

Maura O'Connell (1958– )

Aiofe O'Donovan

Carl Oglesby

Ol' Savannah [2011– ]

David Olney

Kristina Olsen (1957– )

J.S. Ondara

Peter Ostroushko (1953– )

Tom Paley (1927–2017)

Charlie Parr

Joel Paterson

Peter, Paul and Mary [1961– ]

Utah Phillips (1935– )

Phranc (1957– )

Rod Picott (1964– )

Allison Pierce (1975– )

Chris Pierce

Jana Pochop

John Prine (1946–2020)

Joe Pug

The Ragpicker String Band

Dave Rawlings

David Rea (1945– )

Red Clay Ramblers [1972– ]

Leon Redbone (1949–2019)

Dan Reeder (1954– )

Jenny Reynolds

Malvina Reynolds (1900–78)

Sue Richards (1943– )

Jim Ringer (1936–92)

Jean Ritchie (1922–2015)

Emily Scott Robinson

Suzzy Roche (1956– )

Gamble Rogers (1937–91)

Sally Rogers

Stan Rogers (1949–83)

The Rooftop Singers

Jack Rose (1971–2009)

Kevin Roth (1957– )

Tom Rush (1941– )

Tom Russell

Buffy Sainte-Marie (1941– )

The Sandpipers

Maggie Sansone

Claudia Schmidt

Carla Sciaky (1954– )

Mike Seeger (1933– )

Peggy Seeger (1935– )

Pete Seeger (1919–2014)

Morgan Sexton (1911–92)

Joan Shelley (1985– )

Paul Siebel (1937– )

Shel Silverstein (1932–99)

Patrick Sky (1940– )

Fred Small (1952– )

Debi Smith (1953– )

Michael Smith (1941– )

Chris Smither (1944– )

The Smothers Brothers

Todd Snider (1966– )

Rosalie Sorrels (1933– )

Bill Spence (1940– )

Bill Staines

Peter Stampfel (1938– )

Andy Statman

Jody Stecher / Kate Brislin (1946– )

John Stewart (1939– )

Styrofoam Winos

Sweet Honey in the Rock [1973– ]

Barry and Holly Tashian [1988– ]

3hattrio

Anna Tivel

Artie Traum (1943– )

Happy Traum (1939– )

Two Nice Girls [1989–1992]

William Tyler (1979– )

Ian Tyson (1933– )

Sylvia Tyson (1940– )

Ulali

Dave Van Ronk (1937– )

Townes Van Zandt (1944–97)

Jane Voss

Stephen Wade

Loudon Wainwright III (1947– )

Lawrence Walker (1907–68)

Ryley Walker (1989– )

Abigail Washburn (1979– )

Doc Watson (1923–2012)

The Weavers [1948– ]

Wedding Parties Anything

Gillian Welch (1967– )

Cheryl Wheeler (1951– )

Erica Wheeler

Don White

The White Buffalo

Taylor Whiteside

William Elliott Whitmore (1978– )

The Whitmore Sisters [2022– ]

The Whitstein Brothers

David Wilcox

Dar Williams (1967– )

Robin and Linda Williams

Yasmin Williams

Cris Williamson

Kate Wolf (1942–86)

Steve Young (1942– )

Ann Zimmerman

Various Artists


Introduction