W - Z

The folk section covers a broad spectrum of mostly American folk (traditional and contemporary), folk-rock, singer-songwriter and indie recordings. Primarily, you can expect to find music which strikes at the heart of the folk tradition, where we spotlight innovative songwriters and performers who've laid the groundwork for the great folk tradition and who help to maintain that tradition today.

You'll find acoustic music here, as well as bands playing traditional music with electric guitars and bands playing new music on traditional instruments. Old-style folk meets rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and other stuff with its roots in folk traditions. Explore this section to find a tasty selection of musical possibilities.

While some people argue that "folk music" is by definition limited solely to traditional pieces, we have been reminded by others that songwriting itself is a proud tradition. If new music isn't being written and performed to expand the dog-eared playbook, those old songs are in danger of becoming hackneyed and worn-out cliches.

For folk music from the Canadian Maritimes, look here.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Virginia Wagner
• Darkness Visible (2007)

Wailin' Jennys
• Firecracker (2006)

Loudon Wainwright III
• Here Come the Choppers (2005)

Tom Waits
• Real Gone (2004)

The Wakami Wailers
• The Last of the White Pine Loggers (1985)
• Waltz with the Woods (1993)
• River Through the Pines (1999)

Wake the Dead
• Wake the Dead (2000)

Walkie Talkie
• Twilite at Spanish Castle (2000)

David Wall & Marilyn Lerner
• Still Soft Voiced Heart (2001)

Kate Wallace
• Too Long from the Sea (2000)

Cyd Ward
• Between the Lines (2002)

Washington Revels
• Behold That Star! An American Song Quilt (2001)

Norma Waterson
• Bright Shiny Morning (2000)

The Watersons
• A Yorkshire Christmas (2005)
• Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy (2007)

Doc Watson
• Foundation: The Doc Watson Guitar Instrumental Collection, 1964-1998 (2000)
• Legacy, with David Holt (2002)

Doc & Merle Watson
• Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues (2004)

Jacqui Watson
• Cocaine & Brandy Days (2005)

Shad Weathersby
• Chomp Chomp (2004)
• The Beaten Path (2007)

Ben Weaver
• Paper Sky (2007)

LisaBeth Weber
• Farmhouse Sessions (2000)

Elisa M. Welch
• The Wheel (1999)

Kevin Welch
• Beneath My Wheels (1999)

Geoffrey Welchman
• One Band Man (2007)

Well-Tempered String Band
• Well-Tempered String Band (2002)
• Book Two (2004)

Sara Wendt
• Here's Us (2006)

Annie Wenz
• Poet's Dance (2001)

We're About 9
• Engine (2003)

Susan Werner
• New Non-Fiction (2001)
• The Gospel Truth (2007)

Lizzie West & the White Buffalo
• I Pledge Allegiance to Myself (2006)

Eric Westbury
• Walking Tracks (2000)
• Burnt Tongues & Blue Truths (2003)

West of Eden
• A Stupid Thing to Do (2003)
• Four (2006)

Lee Westwood
• To Sleep: Farewell Songs (2006)

The Mike Weterings Band
• Aluminum Sea (1998)

Cheryl Wheeler
• Different Stripe (2003)

Erica Wheeler
• Three Wishes (1999)

When Pigs Fly
• Pigatude (2001)

Amy White & Al Petteway
• Golden Wing (2004)

Andrew White
• Pray for Rain (2001)

Effron White
• Day in the Sun (2000)

Josh White Jr.
• Jazz, Ballads & Blues, with Robin Batteau (1986)
• House of the Rising Son (1999)

Nancy White
• Gaelic Envy (1998)
• Stickers on Fruit (2002)

Yasmine White
• Simple Truths (2002)

Rick Whitelaw
• Polishing the Stone (1999)

Ken Whiteley
• Listening (2000)
• Gospel Music Makes Me Feel Alright! (2004)

Stuart Whitford
• Vertical Land (1998)

Wilco, with Billy Bragg
• Mermaid Avenue (1998)
• Mermaid Avenue Vol. II (2000)

Wild Carrot
• Hope (2003)

Ginny Wilder
• Lessons in Life & Love (2002)

Steve Wildey
• Little Man (2002)
• Along the Way (2005)

Wild Flowers
• Total Vocal (1994)

Nathan Wiley
• The City Destroyed Me (2007)

The Wilkinsons
• Here & Now (2000)

Brooks Williams
• Hundred Year Shadow (1999)
• Little Lion (2000)
• Skiffle-Bop (2001)

Dar Williams
• End of the Summer (1997)
• The Green World (2000)
• Out There Live (2001)
• The Beauty of the Rain (2002)

Jack Williams
• Across the Winterline (1997)

Keller Williams
• Laugh (2002)

Lucinda Williams
• Lucinda Williams (1993)
• performance review (1998)
• Essence (2001)

Victoria Williams
• Sings Some Ol' Songs (2002)

Kelly Willis
• What I Deserve (1999)

Tom Wilson
• When the Wagon was New, with Border Bluegrass (1997)
• On the Radio (2001)

Wishing Chair
• The Ghost of Will Harbut (2000)

Without Gravity
• Tenderfoot (2005)

Gretchen Witt
• Gretchen Witt (2003)
• Six (2006)

Patti Witten
• Land of Souvenirs (1999)
• Prairie Doll (2000)
• Sycamore Tryst (2003)

Wolfe Bros.
• 2001 -- An Old-Time Odyssey (2001)

Laura Wolfe
• Siren (2005)

Women in Docs
• Under a Different Sky (2005)

Beth Wood
• You Take the Wheel (2003)
• Marigolds (2005)

Jon Wood
• One to Five (2004)

Royal Wood
• Milkweed (2003)
• Tall Tales (2004)

Jeff Woodell
• Pictures of Nothing (2006)

Joyce Woodson
• Capistrano Girl (1997)

The Woods Tea Co.
• Journey Home (1995)
• Side By Each (1995)
• Live! (1999)
• Standing Room Only (2003)

Ina May Wool
• Moon Over 97th Street (1999)
• Crack It Open (2004)

Work o' the Weavers
• We're Still Here (2007)

Bruce Wozny
• Sleeping Dogs (1999)

John Wright
• Just Left of Center (1998)
• SongDance (2003)
• That's the Way Love Is: A Collection of Love Songs (2003)
• The Gypsy Life (2006)

The John Wright Band
• Language of the Heart (2000)

Richard Thomas Wright & Cathryn Wellner
• Rough But Honest Miner (2000)

Ruth Wyand
• Distant Drums (2002)

The Wyrd Sisters
• Raw Voice (1997)

XTC
• Apple Venus, Vol. 1 (1999)
• Wasp Star (Apple Venus, Vol. 2) (2000)

Gabriel Yacoub
• Les Choses Les Plus Simples (The Simple Things We Said) (2002)

Mark Yakes
• Poems & Music, Vol. 1 (2003)

Glenn Yarbrough
• Come Sit By My Side (2006)

Bethany Yarrow
• Deep Folk (2003)

Doug Young
• Laurel Mill (2003)

Jamison Young
• Shifting Sands of a Blue Car (2003)

Neil Young
• The Bridge: A Tribute to Neil Young (1989)
• Harvest Moon (1992)
• Unplugged (1993)
• Silver & Gold (2000)

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
• Live at the Filmore East (2006)

Mike Younger
• Every Stone You Throw (2006)

Charlie Zahm
• A Summer's Morning Rare (1995)
• Festival Favorites (1997)
• Americana (2002)
• Out of the Mist (2002)
• Songs for When the Sun Goes Down (2002)

Diane Zeigler
• Paintbrush (2002)

Debbie Zepick
• Enjoy the Journey (1999)
• Out of the Ruins (1997)

Leah Zicari
• Pretty on Thursday (2003)

The Zozo Sisters
• Adieu False Heart (2006)

Zubot & Dawson
• Chicken Scratch (2002)

Zuco 103
• Outro Lado (2000)

Adam Zwig
• Cast Iron Letters (2007)

Zyrah's Orange
• Body (2000)