# Suggestions for modern (and maybe not-so-modern) folk music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325 "2008-01-28T17:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/21 "2008-01-29T14:19:55Z")
[QUOTE=C3] …Patty Griffin opened for him. She was incredible. [/QUOTE] Did she perform “Heavenly Day”? And did it blow you away? A bittersweet, lyrical, lovely song. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/22 "2008-01-29T14:56:07Z")
There’s [filk,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filk) but few outside SF fandom are aware it exists. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/23 "2008-01-29T15:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Did she perform “Heavenly Day”? And did it blow you away? A bittersweet, lyrical, lovely song. [/QUOTE] Yes, she performed that…beautiful. Her voice was mesmerizing. I was really disappointed when John Prine sang _Angel from Montgomery_ and didn’t do it as a duet with her. He sang a couple other songs with her, but that would have been great. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/24 "2008-01-29T20:42:39Z")
[Uncle Earl.](http://youtube.com/watch?v=lkTVwwbyKwc&feature=related) (An all-girl group despite the name. Great harmonies.) [Old Crow Medicine Show.](http://youtube.com/watch?v=33lfmCgxdAw) (This song is actually quite old despite it being about cocaine.) [Kathleen Edwards](http://youtube.com/watch?v=xvELN-8LDo0) (More on the rock side of folk, but I think it still counts.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/25 "2008-01-29T23:47:11Z")
Google for “Filk music”. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/26 "2008-01-29T23:51:34Z")
I’ll recommend Neko Case again, even though she skews more toward the alt-country side of things. She’s absolutely awesome, especially her _Blacklisted_ album. The Be-Good Tanyas are nice too. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/27 "2008-01-29T23:58:25Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] **Christine Lavin** [/QUOTE] Heh. I still remember her fondly from my Dr. Demento-listening days for “Sensitive New Age Guys”… ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/28 "2008-01-30T07:53:59Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] There’s [filk,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filk) but few outside SF fandom are aware it exists. [/QUOTE] Are there fandoms that write filk that are supposed to be taken seriously? The X-Files ones are all snark. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/29 "2008-01-30T09:03:57Z")
Hmmm, thanks to the movie Juno the Moldy Peaches have been on the radio with some frequency. [Here’s a cute fan-made YouTube vid](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4467170574950570379) of the song “Anyone else but you”. Sort of folky, and it melts your heart a little with the “awwww-power” of one thousand lolcats. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/30 "2008-01-30T09:09:50Z")
Maybe stretching a little into country but the mighty triumvirate of the late, great Townes Van Zandt, Lucinda Williams and the mighty, mighty John Prine are all amazing songwriters and captivating performers. I also enjoy Lucy Kaplansky and Amy Rigby. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/31 "2008-01-30T10:13:46Z")
[QUOTE=bbs2k] Hmmm, thanks to the movie Juno the Moldy Peaches have been on the radio with some frequency. [Here’s a cute fan-made YouTube vid](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4467170574950570379) of the song “Anyone else but you”. Sort of folky, and it melts your heart a little with the “awwww-power” of one thousand lolcats. [/QUOTE] The version in that video is edited to remove several more verses, including: _Squinched up your face and did a dance You shook a little turd out of the bottom of your pants I don’t see what anyone can see, in anyone else But you_ When I first heard this song on the radio, I loved it, up until that line. Then I hated it. I hate it when otherwise great songs are ruined by some kind of gross line. I’m all in favor of “novelty” songs like the ones on Bob and Tom or the Asylum Street Spankers, but when there’s a really nice romantic song like that and then they throw in a line about turds, I want to find them and set their hair on fire. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/32 "2008-01-30T10:58:10Z")
If you want some heartbreaking, downbeat, contemporary Scottish folk I’d recommend **Alasdair Roberts**. He has a beautiful voice and nice arrangements of traditional tunes and his own compositions. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/33 "2008-01-30T12:34:24Z")
> [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > : > > Originally Posted by CalMeacham > > Christine Lavin > > Heh. I still remember her fondly from my Dr. Demento-listening days for “Sensitive New Age Guys”… I got to sing "Sensitive New Age Guys with her on stage one night. It’s not that big a deal – she often invites guys from the audience to do a chorus in the background (I wasn’t alone). But it was fun. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/34 "2008-01-30T13:04:50Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] Are there fandoms that write filk that are supposed to be taken seriously? The X-Files ones are all snark. [/QUOTE] I would say that Mercedes Lackey fandom has a branch that filks as serious business, the “Arrows of the Queen” type stuff. Of course, that depends on whether your definition of filk necessarily includes the use of a pre-existing melody with rewritten lyrics or whether a completely original piece can be considered filk. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/35 "2008-01-30T23:25:16Z")
There’s a Brit duo called [Megson](http://www.amazon.com/Megson/dp/B000IB0C7M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201733518&sr=1-1) that I think is worth checking out. Besides this IP, they’ve got two album out in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/36 "2008-01-31T22:43:36Z")
Our local [WUMB-FM](http://www.wumb.org/home/index.php) is all folk. You can listen live, and they have various live streams, depending on your preference (traditional, Celtic, etc.) I also like to listen to [Women in Music](http://www.womenonair.com/index.shtml). Check out the site to see when it airs in your area. And Pandora is always a good way to find artists similar to those you like. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/37 "2008-01-31T23:49:52Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] Are there fandoms that write filk that are supposed to be taken seriously? The X-Files ones are all snark. [/QUOTE] Well, some of them are fairly good songs that aren’t snark. Here’s a You Tube link for one of my favorite filk songs, [Dawson’s Christian](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3fIu2OdWn8&feature=PlayList&p=7ECA1479F0E29A5C&index=13). It’s a ghost story, and a ship song, and a battle song, so it hits about ten of my hot buttons. 😉 For a look at some of the things that have been recognized as good filk, check out the [Pegasus Awards](http://www.ovff.org/pegasus.html) site. Mind, a lot of it is snark of one kind of another. (The Demented Designer, anyone? “And its heart was a part that just couldn’t be made.”) But theres a good deal of serious stuff, too. For the OP, I’ll plug the following bands/artists as fitting my folk tastes: Boiled in Lead (Granted it’s more like heavily folk influenced metal, but…) Schooner Fare Trout Fishing in America Christine Lavin John Gorka Cheryl Wheeler By no means an exclusive list, just artists I like and have tried to keep up with, with my limited funds. The difficulty is finding much of that music outside of cons. (Or at least that’s the difficulty I’ve had.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/38 "2008-02-01T01:01:57Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] I got to sing "Sensitive New Age Guys with her on stage one night. It’s not that big a deal – she often invites guys from the audience to do a chorus in the background (I wasn’t alone). But it was fun. [/QUOTE] Were you her boss from Carol’s Restaurant in Geneva, New York? First name Rick. On the album Buy Me, Bring Me, Take Me, Don’t Mess My Hair!!! Life According To Four Bitchn’Babes. I had to ask. Maybe you were the other guy Harold. The man that feel asleep at a televised concert. the problem was he was one of the performers. I do enjoy their singing. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/39 "2008-02-02T03:31:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Were you her boss from Carol’s Restaurant in Geneva, New York? First name Rick. On the album Buy Me, Bring Me, Take Me, Don’t Mess My Hair!!! Life According To Four Bitchn’Babes. I had to ask. Maybe you were the other guy Harold. The man that feel asleep at a televised concert. the problem was he was one of the performers. I’m not on any of her recordings. As I say, she invites a male chorus on stage. I’ve actually done it twice – one time there were six of us, the other time about two dozen. I’ll add another vote for John Gorka. And the **Four Bitchin’ Babes** (which includes Lavin) ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325/40 "2008-02-02T07:53:27Z")
When you look for stuff don’t peg yourself into the ‘folk’ category. A lot of what I saw in that play list would be considered bluegrass, old-timey, or just acoustic. People get weird about the classification. Newer Artists [Nickel Creek](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLh-KQuxcG8) [Chris Thile](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZS8KgMXECU) [Yonder Mountain String Band](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2ZaORjG72g) [Steve Martin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jn3KCZEqxc) (yes \*that \*Steve Martin) and Bela Fleck with just about anyone. Older Stuff: [Doc Watson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gv4va8Y8lg) Old and in the Way Garcia and Grisman (and Rice) [Bill Monroe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2XT9u7iw9o) There’s a lot of cross over with artists (so-and-so joining such-and-such band for a tour or album). Your best bet is to find something you like, see who plays with them, and branch out from there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-modern-and-maybe-not-so-modern-folk-music/435325.md?page=3)