Article Essential Folk Music Singer-Songwriters

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S.htm)
These days, when people think of "folk music," they usually picture a singer-songwriter
with an acoustic guitar. But, believe it or not, the singer-songwriter is a fairly recent
phenomenon in the centuries-old history of American folk music. Though there were
singer-songwriters who preceded Woody Guthrie, he was really the first person to
popularize the format, passing on the torch to Bob Dylan (who took the whole singersongwriter thing to a new level) and so on. In popular music, the songwriters were always
totally separate from the singers, so the popularization of American folk music via the
singer-songwriter in the middle of the 20th Century helped to turn the pop market on its
head, as well.
If you're a fan of singer-songwriters and want to learn more about the roots of that format
in American folk music, read on for some of the essential, most influential folk singersongwriters.

Al Aumuller/New York World-Telegram and the Sun/Library of Congress/Public Domain

1. Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie wrote literally thousands of songs during his lifetime, and many of them
have gone down not only in history, but also in the cover-tune repertoires of bands from
Folk and Bluegrass to Rock and Roll. His songs reported labor conditions and the feelings
of generations of Americans, and have inspired historians, labor unions, and countless
musicians. Heck, he even made it onto a postage stamp!

Essential Pete Seeger. Sony Legacy

2. Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger's career began shortly after Woody Guthrie's, though his upbringing in New
England was quite a bit different from that of his friend and contemporary. He started out
as a journalism major at Harvard, before ditching school and setting out with a banjo to
write folk songs. First as a member of the Almanac Singers (with Guthrie, Lee Hays, and
others), then as a founding member of the Weavers, and later as a solo artist, Seeger has
perfected the art of writing the simplest, most catchy songs for social justice.

Bob Dylan's debut album. Sony/Columbia

3. Bob Dylan

In the 1960s when folk music started resurging out of the San Francisco and Greenwich
Village Folk scenes, Bob Dylan quickly became one of the forerunners of the movement.
He adapted Woody Guthrie's talkin' blues style and brought topical Folk songs to a new
generation. His original songs have inspired generations of musicians all over the
country, and in all genres; and his voice is quite possibly one of the most distinguishable
in Folk music.

Joni Mitchell. Steve Dulson

4. Joni Mitchell
Joni was one of the first real legendary woman singer/songwriters. Her simple, pretty
melodies tackled everything from relationships to the War in Vietnam. Her work has
inspired men and women all over the musical spectrum, and her songs continue to be
covered by singer/songwriters and rock bands alike.

Phil Ochs. Robert Corwin

5. Phil Ochs
Phil is one of the lesser known troubadours of the 1960s folk scene, but he's certainly
one of the most important. His topical songs tackled everything and everyone, and
nothing was too taboo to write about. His songs like "Love me, I'm a Liberal" and "I'm Not
Marching Anymore" enjoyed huge popularity. Phil was a major player in the War is Over
movement of the Vietnam era, and his songs from that period are covered even today.

Paul Simon live at Glastonbury. photo: Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images

6. Paul Simon
Originally one half of Simon & Garfunkel, Paul went on to become one of the most
influential and groundbreaking Singer/Songwriters in the 1980s. His Graceland CD won a
slew of Grammy Awards in 1987. Paul's American and world Folk music influences have
produced some of the most beautiful and innovative Folk tunes that have inspired the a
wave of Singer/Songwriters.

Cat Stevens - 'Gold'. Island records

7. Cat Stevens
Certainly one of the most prolific Singer/Songwriters, Cat Stevens is also one of the most
memorable. His songs have been covered by bands all over the country and the musical
spectrum. Tunes like "Wild Word" and "Peace Train" are simply unforgattable, timeless
classics.

Janis Ian. promo photo

8. Janis Ian
Another incredibly prolific Singer/Songwriter is Janis Ian. Her career started when she was
just a teenager, but she's continued to pump out record after record of fantastic Folk

music. Her songs are timely, topical, and poignant, and cover everything from
relationships to her longing for world peace.

Greg Brown. promo photo

9. Greg Brown
Since the late 70s, Greg Brown has been one of the most fantastic Singer/Songwriters of
his generation. His songs have been featured on movie soundtracks and in compilations,
and he continues to be a favourite at the festivals each year. His low, grumbly voice can
be hypnotic as he sings through songs about everything from war to peace, and even life
on the farm in Iowa.

Ani DiFranco. Danny Clinch

10. Ani Difranco
Ani is one of those people who has changed the way people think of Folk music. Her
innovative guitar technique (she turns her strumming hand into a "claw" through the
cunning use of fake nails and electrical tape), and her unbeatably loyal fan base make
her a force to be reckoned with. She started her career in her late teens, and since then
has produced dozens of records and averaged hundreds of shows per year on tour.