(Audiophile) americana and country music? Who likes it? Recommendations?

[Sal1950]

I watched the 2016 PBS special Kris Kristofferson: Life & Songs last night.
What an excellent lineup of a generation of superstar level artists playing alone and together with Kris.
The music world sure does miss that guy, not many have written as many songs that touched our heart and souls for 88 years.
Check this out when you get a chance.

Kris Kristofferson: Life & Songs

Celebrate the beloved musician in a 2016 concert featuring Kristofferson and an all-star cast.

www.pbs.org

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

The Carter Family, Doc Watson, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Merle Travis, Jimmie Rodgers (the singing brakeman, not the pop star)….

Many others I can’t recall at the moment. We have a very rich heritage of C&W music, before it sadly became indistinguishable from rock.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

IMO the best "Americana" singer-songwriter who isn't dead yet is James McMurtry:

 

[Gary_G]

 

[Sal1950]

I haven't talked about her here in years,
Alison Krauss & Union Station.
She's back on tour for the first time in a decade, doing 70 some stops.
No one sounds just like her, what a voice, catch her live act if you can.

 

[Artsfols]

The Carter Family, Doc Watson, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Merle Travis, Jimmie Rodgers (the singing brakeman, not the pop star)….

Many others I can’t recall at the moment. We have a very rich heritage of C&W music, before it sadly became indistinguishable from rock.

This reminds me of Tom Petty's definition of a modern country band: a bad rock band with a fiddle.

 

[Artsfols]

I don't know if they still perform as "I'm with her", but each of Sara Watkins, Sarah Grosz and Aoife O'Donovan is a considerable force in their own right.

 

[Artsfols]

I haven't talked about her here in years,
Alison Krauss & Union Station.
She's back on tour for the first time in a decade, doing 70 some stops.
No one sounds just like her, what a voice, catch her live act if you can.

I have been listening to Alison Krauss since the early 1990s. Her early albums were near perfect, and the later Union Station albums pushed the bluegrass idiom into new territory. As a fan of bluegrass since forever, her work and that of her band, also in conjunction with the movie "Oh Brother, where art thou?" put bluegrass back into the American music consciousness. Then along came Mumford and Sons, and more lately, Watch House, Molly Tuttle, and AJ Lee with her band, and bluegrass is as healthy as ever.
(Youtube won't let me view your video here in Canada, but I have likely seen whatever it is.)

 

[Artsfols]

Two weekends ago I attended the Edmonton Folk Festival for 2025. I wrote a brief blog entry, and once again created a playlist of performances by festival acts.

Relive the Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2025

Photo – “They could pay us in kettle corn.” I have attended the Edmonton Folk Music Festival on and off for a dozen years now. And once again I have created a video …

gesprek.net

 

[Artsfols]

I've been listening to Molly Tuttle for a decade or so. She has just released a new album with more of a pop sound than previously. I rather like it. But here is a video Ms. Tuttle made, recommending certain Americana albums that are her personal favourites. I know and love most of these artists, although there's a couple new to me.

 

[Timcognito]

Ready for some new and alt Country and Bluegrass. Here are 100+ short reviews

KFJC 89.7FM

 

[Gary_G]

I don't know if they still perform as "I'm with her", but each of Sara Watkins, Sarah Grosz and Aoife O'Donovan is a considerable force in their own right.

Yes, they do. A new album just released and they are on tour!

 

[Artsfols]

Yes, they do. A new album just released and they are on tour!

Good. I see that they're in Toronto in November, so I may be able to catch that one.