N - Q

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

Nick Nace
• Wrestling With the Mystery (2019)

Dave Nachmanoff
• A Certain Distance (2000)

Nathalie Nahai
• Nathalie Nahai (2006)

Peter Nardini
• Rain Din (2005)

Jory Nash
• One Way Down (1998)
• Tangle with the Ghost (2000)

Natay
• TNT (2001)

Mark Nathan
• Out of Nowhere (2005)

Ray Naylor
• Slow Cooker (2002)

Holly Near
• And Still We Sing: The Outspoken Collection (2002)
• Lifeline Extended, with Ronnie Gilbert (2002)

The Near Myths
• Words to Burn (2007)

Ned Ludd
• A Zero Ore (1998)

Drew Nelson
• Tilt-A-Whirl (2012)

Pete Nelson
• Days Like Horses (2000)

Rick Nelson
• Easy to Be Free: The Songs of Rick Nelson (2006)

Steve Nelson
• Listen What the Katmandu (2002)

Nervous But Excited
• Once More ... with Feeling (2006)

David Newbould
• Big Red Sun (2007)

Carrie Newcomer
• The Age of Possibility (2000)
• The Gathering of Spirits (2002)
• Betty's Diner (2004)

New Harmony Indiana
• Parlour Music (2003)

David Newland
• Evergreen (2003)

The New Line
• Can't Hold the Wheel (2013)

New Lost City Ramblers
• 40 Years of Concert Performances (2001)

Howie Newman
• Trust Me, You'll Like It (2006)

New Middle Class
• New Middle Class (1999)

New Monsoon
• Downstream (2003)
• The Sound (2005)

Joanna Newsom
• The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004)

Frank Newsome
• Gone Away With a Friend (2018)

Johnny Nicholas
• Fresh Air (2016)

Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches
• Very Next Thing (2016)

Nerissa & Katryna Nields
• Love & China (2002)
• Sister Holler (2007)

Night Sun
• Night Sun (1991)
• Calling (1993)
• Home (1997)
• Drive (2005)

John Jacob Niles
• An Evening with John Jacob Niles (2006)
• I Wonder as I Wander: Carols & Love Songs (2006)
• The Ballads (2007)

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• Speed of Life (2010)
• Circlin' Back: Celebrating Fifty Years (2016)
• Dirt Does Dylan (2022)

Noctambule
• Travel in the Shadows (2013)
• The Waking (2015)

Ian Noe
• River Fools & Mountain Saints (2022)

The Nonchalants
• Drive (1999)

Bill Noonan
• The Man That I Can't Be (2009)

Norbury & Finch
• Tease for Two (2000)

Bob Norman
• Love Lust & Lilacs (2000)
• Romantic Nights on the Upper West Side (2002)

Northern Harmony Choir
• Under the Labrador Sky (1999)

Andy Northrup
• Cardboard Logic (2004)

Jennifer Noxon
• Watch As You Walk (1998)
• Sweet (2001)

Nunez
• Cry Mercy (2005)

Hope Nunnery
• Wilderness Lounge (2007)

Leslie Nuss
• Heliotrope (1998)

Angie Nussey
• Paint & Turpentine (2004)

Laura Nyro
• Angel in the Dark (2001)
• The Loom's Desire (2002)

Dan Oakenhead
• Sky Geezer (2003)

Gen Obata
• Better Off On the Run (2001)

Zachary Oberzan
• Athletes of Romance (2006)

Mollie O'Brien
• Things I Gave Away (2000)

Mollie O'Brien & Rich Moore
• Saints & Sinners (2010)

Paul O'Brien
• Sacred Lines (2005)

Siobhán O'Brien
• Songs I Grew Up To (2007)

Tim O'Brien
• The Crossing (1999)
• Two Journeys (2001)
• Traveler (2003)
• Cornbread Nation (2005)
• Fiddler's Green (2005)
• Chameleon (2008)

Erin O'Bryan
• Walk with the Saints (2002)

Maura O'Connell
• Walls & Windows (2001)
• Don't I Know (2004)

CoCo O'Connor
• This Ol' War (2018)

Sinead O'Connor
• Sean-Nos Nua (2002)
• She Who Dwells... (2003)

Octobre
• Octobre 1972-1989 (1995)

Odetta
• Sings Ballads & Blues (2005)
• At the Gate of Horn (1957/2006)

Odgers & Simmonds
• Baby Fishlips (2000)

Alison O'Donnell & Isabel Ni Chuireain
• Mise agus Ise (2006)

Billy O'Dwyer
• The Time Has Come (2002)
• I'll See You Tonight in My Dreams (2004)

Esther & Abi Ofarim
• Songs of Our Life (1998)

Old-Time Pharmaceuticals
• Roots & Honey (2020)

Olga
• Now Is the Time (2006)

David Olney
• When the Deal Goes Down (2014)

Alix Olson
• Independence Meal (2003)

Brendan O'Loughlin
• Only For the Music (1999)

James O'Malley
• I'm Ready (2002)

The Once
• The Once (2010)
• Row Upon Row of the People They Know (2011)
• Time Enough (2018)

Declan O'Rourke
• Big Bad Beautiful World (2007)

Laura Orshaw
• Songs of Lost Yesterdays (2014)

Beth Orton
• Daybreaker (2002)
• Comfort of Strangers (2006)

Len Osland
• Salty Fingers (1997)

Peter Ostroushko
• The Mando Chronicles (2012)

Eamon O'Tuama
• Behind Every Life (2001)

The Outlaws
• Legacy Live (2016)

Mick Overman & the Maniacs
• Good Thing Happen (2006)

Over the Rhine
• Drunkard's Prayer (2005)

Judith Owen
• Christmas in July (2004)
• Lost & Found (2005)
• Here (2006)

Owsley
• The Hard Way (2003)

Sam Pacetti & Gabriel Valla
• Union (2006)

Tom Pacheco
• The Lost American Songwriter (1999)
• There Was a Time (2002)

Brittni Paiva
• Brittni x 3 (2004)

Angie Palmer
• A Certain Kind of Distance (2000)

Ernie Palmer
•  A Teacher, A Preacher, & A Bad Farmer

Robert Palmer
• Rhythm & Blues (1999)

The Paperboys
• Molinos (1997)

Clay Parker & Jodi James
• The Lonesomest Sound That Can Sound (2018)

Victoria Parks
• Wild English Rose (2003)

Paroplapi
• La Finestra dell'Ultimo Piano (2005)

Charlie Parr
• King Earl (2004)
• Rooster (2005)
• Keep Your Hands on the Plow (2011)
• Stumpjumper (2015)
• Dog (2017)

David Parry
• The Man From Eldorado (1993)

Evalyn Parry
• Unreasonable (2004)

Niamh Parsons
• The Old Simplicity, with Graham Dunne (2005)

Paul Pasch
• Tornado Sky (2006)

Bill Passalaqua
• Reckless Pedestrian (1999)

Deb Pasternak
• Home (2003)

Earl Patrick & Dear Francis
• To Fall Again (2003)

Dave Patten
• Fly Away (2007)

Larry Pattis
• Hands of Time (2002)

Ellis Paul
• The Speed of Trees (2002)
• Side of the Road, with Vance Gilbert (2003)

Paul & Storm
• Opening Band (2005)
• Gumbo Pants (2007)

Tom Paxton
• Under American Skies, with Anne Hills (2001)
• Looking for the Moon (2002)
• Best of Friends, with Anne Hills & Bob Gibson (2004)
• The Bravest, with Joe Giltrap (2005)
• Live in the UK (2005)
• Comedians & Angels (2008)
• Bluegrass Sings Paxton (2024)
•  It Matters, with C. Daniel Boling (2025)

Kendall Payne
• Jordan's Sister (1999)

Jim Payne
• Empty Nets (1992)

Matthew Payne
•  Better Times (2026)

Robin Pearl
• Wisteria (1998)

The Pedrick-Hutson Guitar Duo
• Environs (2003)

Grant Peeples
• A Murder of Songs (2023)

Terry Penney
• Missing Marshville (2002)

Ken Perlman
• Northern Banjo (2001)

Richard Perlmutter
• Beethoven's Wig: Sing Along Symphonies (2002)

Rain Perry
• Men (2013)

Peter, Bethany & Rufus
• Puff & Other Family Classics (2007)

Peter, Paul & Mary
• Carry It On (2003)

Alex Peterson
• Mexican Dog (2002)

Ed Pettersen
• The New Punk Blues of Ed Pettersen (2007)

Katy Pfaffl
• Katy Pfaffl (2001)

Barbara Phaneuf
• Hat Full of Diamonds (2000)

Grant-Lee Phillips
• Virginia Creeper (2004)
• Nineteeneighties (2006)
• Strangelet (2007)

John Phillips
• Pay Pack & Follow (2001)

Shawn Phillips
• I'm a Loner (1965/1998)
• Shawn (1966/1998)
• No Category (2002)

Utah Phillips
• Good Though! (1973/1997)
• Long Gone: Utah Remembers Bruce "Utah" Phillips (2011)

Utah Phillips & Ani DiFranco
• Fellow Workers (1999)

Rod Picott
• Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil (2019)
• Wood, Steel, Dust & Dreams (2021)
• Paper Hearts & Broken Arrows (2022)
• Starlight Tour (2024)

Bruce Piephoff
• Deep River Anthology (2001)
• Fringeland (2001)
• Slaughterhouse (2002)
• Hard Times for Dreamers (2003)
• Good People (2004)
• Bright Leaf Blues (2006)
• Fools Get Away With the Impossible (2006)
• The Chestnut Tree (2008)

Chris Pierce
• Let All Who Will (2023)

Sarah Pierce
• Blessed by the West (2024)

Paul Pigat
• Boxcar Campfire (2010)

Alun Piggins
• Balladesque (1999)

Pina
• Quick Look (2002)

Pineross
• Pineross (2006)

The Pines
• Tremolo (2009)
• Above the Prairie (2015)

Woody Pines
• Rabbits Motel (2013)
• Woody Pines (2015)

Piyali
• Unborn Star (1998)

Michael Plishka
• Spit, Sputter, Blow.... (2000)

Po' Girl
• Vagabond Lullabies (2004)
• Home to You (2007)

The Pogues
• Waiting For Herb (1993)

Maurice Poirier
• Behind a Voice (2001)

Rose Polenzani
• Anybody (1999)

Karine Polwart
• Faultlines (2003)

Wyckham Porteous
• SexandDrinking (2001)

Paul Porter
• Paul Porter (2001)

Willy Porter
• Falling Forward (1999)
• How to Rob a Bank (2009)

Emily Portman
• The Glamoury (2010)

Martin Posen
• Triple Heater (1998)
• Listening Hands (2001)

Possessed by Paul James
• As We Go Wandering (2020)

The Possum Trot Orchestra
• The Possum Trot Orchestra (2005)
• Harbor Road (2006)

Jim Post
• Reach Out Together (2009)

Wayne Potash
• Don't Forget the Donut (2005)

Dave Potts
• $12.99 (2006)

Dirk Powell
• Hand Me Down (1999)

Julie Powell
• Heart of a Woman (2003)

Colleen Power
• Lucky You Are (2004)
• Face & Eyes (2005)

Luke Powers
• Picture Book (2006)

Michael Powers
• Prodigal Son (2006)

Willis Pracht & Konnie Ott
• Ghosts of the Heart (date unknown)

Anne Price
• Remember Me (2005)
• Very Early Anne (2009)

Christopher Prim
• Number One (2003)

John Prine
• Fair & Square (2005)

The Proclaimers
• Born Innocent (2004)

Jeremy Proctor
• Sundays & Mondays (2002)

Luis Fernando Puente
• Brighten Up (2009)

Joe Pug
• Messenger (2010)
• The Great Despiser (2012)

Punkin Holler Boys
• Incan Flutes (2000)

Darryl Purpose
• Travelers' Code (1999)
• A Crooked Line (2001)
• The Gift of the Magi & Other Seasonal Stories (2002)

Sue Pyper
• Before You Learn to Fly (2002)

Quartette
• In the Beauty of the Day (1998)

Quick Drawl
• Two Dollar Buffet (1999)

The Quiet American
• Songs from a Rocking Chair (2014)

Quietly Spinning Man
• Inside Out (2004)

Terry Everett Quiett
• Paperdoll Spokesman (1999)

Terry Quiett
• Joyride (2001)

Pernille Quigg
• Driftwood (2013)

Siobhan Quinn & Michael Bowers
• Dreamers, Lovers & Outlaws (2007)

Tumassi Quitsaq
• Tumassi Quitsaq (1998)

Selia Qynn
• The Moon & Me (1990/1998)
• The Surreal Life Adventures of Stella Quest (1992)
• Charmed Existence (1999)