My mom asked me to introduce her to some new music for Christmas. Here’s the stuff she likes to listen to: Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Simon and Garfunkel, Donovan, [some] Don McLean, James Taylor, the Carpenters, John Denver. She tends towards softer, sort of folksy music, I suppose. She hates Bob Dylan.
Is there anything a bit more contemporary that she might like?
Vashti Bunyan. A++
Wow, I just listened to one of her songs and she sounds EXACTLY like someone my mom would like. Thanks!
Colbie Caillat or Natasha Bedingfield possibly.
ETA I’ve only heard a few short youtube clips of Mumford and Sons, but based on what you said in the OP, they might be right up her alley.
If she can listen to streaming music on her computer, this is something she might like. It’s not folk, but it’s soft and beautiful, with a wonderful female voice she might like. It’s also on YouTube as individual songs.
Here’s another one: Sibylle Baier - Colour Green.
Not contemporary but your mom might also like Fairport Convention.
Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Corrine Bailey Rae, Uncle Kracker to name four.
Your mom and I have similar taste (excepting the Bob Dylan thing). How about Patty Griffin, Greg Brown, James McMurtry, Shayna Zaid and the Catch, Espers?
Vashti Bunyan is great, but she must be pushing 70.
Well, I guess it’s an exaggeration to say she hates Bob Dylan. She dislikes his voice specifically.
Anyway, thanks for the rec, everyone. I’m at work at the moment but I’ll definitely check them out tonight.
Ingrid Michaelson’s album Everybody gets a lot of play at our house - it’s a really great listen.
We also wore out Amos Lee’s self-titled album. Now that I think of it, I should probably replace it.
Sadly, I can’t speak to their subsequent albums.
Once again I plug Carols for a Cure
Another vote for Greg Brown.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Brown_(folk_musician).
Also, Kate Rusby is slightly more hardcore folk, but she has a really beautiful voice. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Rusby).
Adele…
Gary Jules- Gary Jules (his 3rd album and is quite Cat Stevens-esque, all of his CDs are great, but this is perfect)
Alison Kraus-Forget About It. This is her “solo” album which is filled with some great melancholy songs about love and loss.
Kings of Convenience-Quiet is the New Loud. A Swedish band with very soft harmonies, quite folky and Simon and Garfunkel-inspired. Perfect Sunday morning with the newspaper and a blanket kind of music.
Catie Curtis-Truth from Lies. Her strongest, imho, collection. “Troubled Mind” is a perfect starting point.
Cheryl Wheeler-Different Stripe. This is her “greatest hits” collection picked by the artist. She is one of my favorite singer/songwriters and an amazing performer. Check out “75 Septembers” for a feel of her style.
Indigo Girls-Become You. Yeah, they’re the posterchildren for lesbian music, however, they are quite good with what they produce. This album is a bit more even than their more recent endeavors and includes some gems like “She’s Saving Me” and “Hope Alone”. I think your mom would be more into the songwriting of Emily Saliers than Amy Ray, but unfortunately, there isn’t a way to buy IG albums like that.
Martha’s Trouble-Sleeping Dogs. Start with “Under a Pale Moon” or “Some Peace Tonight” and continue on. This band might be a little more difficult to find, but would definitely fit with her interests.
Nanci Griffith-Fragile OR Other Voices, Other Rooms. I discovered her when Fragile came out and love love love NG. Fragile is a great selection of songs that she’s penned herself, “Goodnight to a Mother’s Dream” is perfection. Other Voices, Other Rooms is a wonderful ode to folk songs covered so exquisitely they become her own. Check out her amazing rendition of Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Morning Song for Sally” and see if you can resist that heartbreak.
Some other artists listed above I’d echo:
Greg Brown-The Poet Game. (“Going, Going, Gone” and the eponymous song)
Patty Griffin-Living With Ghosts (“Moses” and “You Are Not Alone”)
I forgot one more amazing artist,just click on this link and close your eyes without seeing the singer’s name. Picture the singer and then open your eyes, you’ll be quite surprised.
I went to a coffee shop in St Paul and saw this guy playing in the corner while I was up ordering a hot chocolate. I turned my back and the singing started and I searched the place looking for the singer 'til I saw his lips moving. I was floored. The voice didn’t match the bearish man but I became a huge fan. All three of Jeff Hanson’s albums are great.
I love your mom’s taste in music - that’s largely the core of what I grew up with.
I second Mumford and Sons and I love Kate Rusby. Her song Lullabies makes me cry.
Also suggest you add add Sufjan Stevens (specifically the album Illinoise). You might also want to check Bon Iver. I don’t know his stuff incredibly well but I like what I’ve heard so far.
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned it, but she might just want to take all the songs in the OP, plug them into Pandora, hit QuickMix and see what it comes up with.
I can’t use Pandora; it only works for people in the US. 
Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. Lots of new music for myself too.