I thought we didn’t like Cat Stevens anymore.
We like Cat Stevens. It’s that Yosef Islam guy we’re keeping our eyes on.
Although it’s his North American breakthrough album, I much prefer his Past, Present and Future album.
I thought Stpauler did a great list.
But I would add:
ABBA
Also War of The Worlds.
Steeleye Span
Pentangle
Nick Drake
ABBA is folk music?
There are current artists that fall into this style as well - Patty Griffith and Ellis Paul, to name two. He isn’t widely known, but he has had some songs on movie soundtracks (**Me, Myself, and Irene ** and Shallow Hal). Ellis is one of my favorites and he still tours, mostly east coast, but he hits Chicago about twice a year. I’d recommend The Speed of Trees or Translucent Soul as his two best albums.
Leo Kottke - superb Country guitar work.
Spider Koerner and Willie Murphy’s Running Jumping Standing Still stomps over every other artist hitherto named.
Trust me-- go out, acquire it, and enjoy.
Hot Tuna, a spinoff band of Jefferson Airplane.
Essentially, the Airplane split in half, one fragment going on to become the unabashedly commercial Starship; the other half (consisting of lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen & bassist Jack Casady, and - sometimes - fiddler Papa John Creach) became Hot Tuna, performing mostly acoustic old-time blues / blues-influenced numbers.
Check out their first self-titled disc, and “Burgers” (from 1972). Jorma Kaukonen also did a great solo record “Quah” although I don’t know if it’s in print anymore.
Can I mention Tim Hardin, even though his best work was done in the late 60’s?
Three songs from his first album, done in '66, that I love more than just about anything, are “Reason to Believe,” “Misty Roses,” and “How Can We Hang On to a Dream”. You may have heard “Reason to Believe” covered by various artists, Rod Stewart for instance, but Hardin’s version is so much prettier.
The guy had talent! Too bad drugs took their toll. Anyway, I highly recommend that first album if you like folk.
Richard and Linda Thompson, and before that, Fairport Convention.
Tom Paxton, Joan Baez, and Joan’s sister Mimi Farina. I want to put her work with her husband Richard Farina on this list, but since he died in the 1960’s, that’s definately not 70’s. But they are worth a listen.
Since we mentioned Loudon Wainwright III, ex-wife Kate McGarrity Parents of Rufus. And Kate’s sister Ann.
ABBA’s a interesting mention, and one I wouldn’t have thought of. But member Bjorn Ulvaeus was in the Hootenanny Singers, and ABBA themselves toured the folk park circuit early in their career. Some of their songs are very folksy; i.e. Fernando.
You mean Kate McGarrigle and her sister Anna. See the correct spelling in my earlier post, he said humbly.
And the Roches are somehow related to them.
Warren Zevon, people. If we’re going to have a room full of singer/songwriters, at least one of them has to be giving them a swift kick the ass sometimes.
But I have to say that Father and Son by Cat Stevens has to be one of the best ballads, ever. Listen to the anguish in Steven’s voice when he’s singing the 'son’s response. A great vocal performance, and a sweet and meaningful song.
But my other favorite is John Prine. His eponymous album is a collection of standards: Sam Stone, Donald and Lydia, Hello in There, and many others.
You might include as an outlyer on the list Johnny Cash.
Some more:
Harry Chapin
Jim Stafford (marginal)
Let’s not forget the Grand Old Master: Pete Seeger. Still going strong. His influence on the above list of people is enormous.
Recent artists working in that genre, in addition to the delightful Dar Williams, would include (IMHO) The Indigo Girls, Michelle Shock, and Willy Porter. Perhaps also Eva Cassidy (rip).
“He is Your Brother” and “People Need Love” were performed by Benny and Bjorn before ABBA started, but were re-recorded by the whole group.