Amazon's folk best seller list, and three more artists you need to know

folk music

There's not really any telling what you'll find when you click the link above: it's directed to amazon.com's folk music page. The best seller list ( which they say is updated hourly) showed Dylan, Colvin, Springsteen, Ronstadt, Eva Cassidy, and Chris Smither among the top sellers as I posted this. A good selection, and an interesting one, just not the limit or even the beginning of what folk music is about. All of these are thought provoking, yes, but just a bit safe -- and most of them have at various times found their recordings on pop and rock charts. Good to see talented writers and singers there, and it wasn't easy for any of them to get there, certainly. But a bit disconcerting to see they now dominate the folk best seller lists. Of course, I don't think people who buy any of these discs are necessarily buying them because they are currently called folk; They like the artists -- and they know their names. Many equally fine folk folks who have not yet had that level of recognition. Maybe people will look around the bins -- or around this blog! and find Tish Hinojosa, Mark Erelli, Cathie Ryan three who also deserve best seller list status. Maybe, if you've not heard of or heard these three, you'll check them out yourself. Be interested in your comments.

-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.