Folk music, especially acoustic ballad folk, country folk, and early blues, has always held a special place in my heart and soul. From a young age, my dad would pull out his acoustic guitar when weâd go camping and around the campfire he would sing the family a folk song or two, mostly acoustic versions of Johnny Hortonâs âThe Battle of New Orleansâ and âSink the Bismarck.â The sound of the acoustic guitar and voice and their telling of a tale touched something deep inside me and my love for folk music was begun. Here are some of my (and our) favourite songs in this genre through the ages. — Jon Middleton, Ocie Elliott
The Carter Family â âChewing Gumâ
While not necessarily my favourite song by the Carter Family, there is something unique and uplifting about this one. Iâve always thought that Kurt Cobain would have loved it.
Lead Belly â âThe Grey Gooseâ
Lead Belly is definitely one of the best ever, such an incredible songwriter. To me his power lies in the uniqueness of his sound; no one wrote songs like him either. The first time I heard this it filled me with so much joy: I could hear it being performed with a big group of people all singing the “lord, lord, lord” part. Iâve also always imagined Toots and the Maytals covering this song.
Blind Willie Johnson â âTrouble Will Soon Be Overâ
My favourite blues artist of all time, Blind Willie Johnsonâs voice and slide-guitar playing are otherworldly. This tune has such a beautiful melody and feel, it also displays the softer side of his voice and the female accompaniment adds a lovely depth to it all.
Mississippi John Hurt â âSpike Driver Bluesâ
The first time I heard his 1928 recordings my mind was blown. He has had the biggest influence on my fingerpicking without a doubt. The melody he picks in this song is just so beautifully circular, bouncy and perfect.
Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley â âOld Rubenâ
I love the recordings these two did together — there is something very vibrant, authentic and alive in them. I think this song is my favourite of all of them, although âThe Coo-Coo Birdâ is a close second.
Johnny Cash â âDark as a Dungeonâ (Live at Folsom State Prison)
This whole album is amazing, but this song has always stood out, partly because it sounds like something to be sung around a campfire, but also because his voice is so rich and deep — itâs the perfect voice for this song.
Bob Dylan â âI Threw it All Awayâ
Itâs impossible to pick a favourite from someone who has written more classics than most songwriterâs output in total. But I choose this one because oddly enough, this album (Nashville Skyline) was what led me into Dylanâs universe (I purchased it because it had Johnny Cash singing with Dylan on one song). Needless to say, I fell in deep.
John Prine â âMexican Homeâ
We cover a number of John Prineâs songs, including âIn Spite of Ourselvesâ and âLong Monday,â but one of our favourites that we donât cover is âMexican Home.â Both recorded versions are great in their own way, but the studio version feels truer to the content.
Guy Clark â âAnyhow, I Love Youâ
One of our favourite duets. A friend of ours showed us this song a few years back and we immediately started to learn it and sing it. Itâs a very special and unique tune, especially in the lyrical phrasing.
The Country Gentlemen â âFox on the Runâ (Live)
I love that this was first recorded as a rock ânâ roll song by Manfred Mann. The Country Gentlemenâs version and harmonies literally sound like the lyrics, especially the line: âHer hair shone like gold in the hot morning sun.â
Loudon Wainwright III â âThe Swimming Songâ
We were also introduced to this by a friend and ever since then weâve been in love with it. Itâs uplifting, but also has this tinge of melancholy to it.
Mason Jennings â âCrownâ
A favourite songwriter of ours, Iâve been in love with his music ever since I bought one of his albums on a whim in L.A. and drove with it the whole way back up the coast to San Francisco. Once there, I immediately pulled into Amoeba Records and purchased another.
Gillian Welch â âWinterâs Come and Goneâ
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are one of our biggest influences as a group. When Sierra and I first met, our first connection was made over a mutual love for Gillian Welch, and the first song we ever played together was âLook at Miss Ohio.â Something about this song though, the whole album really.
Gregory Alan Isakov â âAmsterdamâ
This song has a rich, wonderful vibe to it — the recording quality, the playing, the mixing and of course, the tune itself. It feels like a warm blanket on a rainy day.
Photo credit: Dustin Rabin