Best Of

Thanks for all the great recommendations folks - you really came through. I have a half dozen CDs that will be delivered in time for his birthday next weekend. I took a broad selection from what you all threw out there.

Harry Chapin Performs "Taxi": Remastered & Long Unseen Underground News Broadcast 4/26/72

https://youtu.be/lm-gasyPEQw


Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle (1974)
https://youtu.be/RWdTWuZAA7A

I find 'folk' music somewhat difficult to define, but I do like most music that seems to fall into the overall genre. Lots of good suggestions already given, but I'll add a few more for consideration.

Classic folk:
- Joan Baez
- Woody Guthrie
- Arlo Guthrie
- Simon & Garfunkel
- The Mamas & The Papas
- Peter, Paul and Mary
- America
- The Band
- Fairport Convention
- Donovan (a British contemporary of Dylan)
- Cat Stevens (in later years, both he and Donovan delved heavily into Eastern religion/thought)
- Dan Fogelberg (crosses a bit over into pop, but very similar to James Taylor IMO)

Modern folk (which can crossover into 'Americana' and/or 'Indie' and/or 'Roots'):
- Brandi Carlile (perhaps the best female folk vocalist in recent years this century)
- Nickel Creek (neuvo bluegrass)
- Alison Kraus & Union Station (also new bluegrass)
- Avett Brothers
- Bon Iver
- Cowboy Junkies (in a very mellow sense)
- Crooked Still (again, in a new bluegrass sense)
- The Duhks
- Gregory Alan Isakov (he really does a tight-rope between folk, and just indie music)
- Jason Isbell
- Larkin Poe (similar to The Wailin' Jennys, but with a serious rock/blues slant)
- The Tragically Hip
- The Wood Brothers (last, but CERTAINLY not least IMO; a modern, simple, three-man band with a lot of soul; give a listen to "Luckiest Man", and see if you like them)

P.S. Chris Stapleton has been a bit of an enigma for music genres. Country Music didn't initially embrace him, but when he blew-up in popularity, they took him in. I consider his music Americana/Roots, with a definite Blues accent. Also, the duet group of The Civil Wars also deserves recognition in the folk genre IMO.

Sorry, not sorry, but need to add Watchhouse to the list of artists here. "Daylight" is their most popular song, but "Wildfire" speaks to me more.