Your favorite English/Irish folk artists/albums

Picked up a US DJM white label promo. Sounded ok to me, but have never heard a UK original (and probably am unlikely to).

 

Folk, Blues and Beyond.

 

This was my first, bought it when I was 14, just because I loved the cover (it came with a booklet and "Don't hang Babbacombe Lee " stickers ) and when I played it I also loved the music , know it inside out , probably the most underrated of all the Fairport albums ( no Richard Thompson , no Sandy Denny )

Other long-time favourites are England by Amazing Blondel , Bells,Boots and shambles by Spirogyra ,Hokey Pokey by R.+L.Thompson , Dingly Dell- Lindisfarne and Relics of the Incredible String Band

 

Good lord, has nobody mentioned these two titans of the genre yet?

Morris On*

Fisherman's Blues

* Actually I see that (just) one person has mentioned this - but only one!

 

Nick Drake's Pink Moon is probably my favorite English Folk album

 

I've also been listening to Mary Black a lot lately. Talented singer/songwriter.

 

More "Trad" than "Folk" but I went to see The Gloaming in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, last night. Absolutely brilliant!

 

Planxty and Horslips from Ireland

 

Yeah Morris On is great - The Compleat Dancing Master and Rattlebone and Ploughjack are great companions too. Son of Morris On is more varied but I don't find it quite is vital as the first one, though I like it a lot. Kickin' Up the Sawdust is surprisingly dull - some decent songs, but gets way too samey compared to Hutchings' other albums he did around that time.

 

Bridget St John who mainly recorded on John Peels Dandelion label is unjustly overlooked.A couple of Irish groups not yet mentioned Dr Strangely Strange and Mushroom.

 

One of my Favorites Gordon Lightfoot cover by Fotheringay:

 

Great, great album, as are his others:

"Nic Jones"
"Ballads and Songs"
"The Noah's Ark Trap"
"From The Devil to a Stranger"

 

Brilliant album as are all his others!

His Mother was English, so no problems including him here.

 

Van Morrison, if not folksy enough then Fairport Convention

 

Love this record!! One the the most unjustly obscure Fairport albums. My copy somehow disappeared over the years. (on some move etc) Been looking for a decent copy forever! Hopefully I'll find one!

 

Big fan of many artists already mentioned -- Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, Kate Rusby, Bert Jansch, Trees, Mellow Candle, Donovan… too many to mention.

A recent discovery for me is Cara Dillon. The title cut from her album Hill of Thieves is on a sampler called Folk Routes (excellent comp, by the way), which let me to the album itself, which is stunning in every way -- songwriting, singing, playing, production, and sound. She's a modern artist, but very much rooted in traditional Irish folk music.

 

Cara Dillon is great - hear her live last year at a festival. Love this duet with another of my favourites, John Smith.

 

How about Fog on the Tyne? Love that one.

 

Scott's Bert Jansch, Donovan,
Davey Graham( half Scottish )

 

A couple of low-key favourites of mine:

Caedmon's self-titled LP from 1978...

 

...and The Waters of Sweet Sorrow by Midwinter...

 

No one has mentioned Dougie MacLean of Scotland. His songs are quite beautiful. I've been following his music since "Last of the Mohicans " came out. His song "Caledonia" is fantastic.

RT, Bert, John Martyn, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, all are special. Richard Thompson is a wonder to see live. I missed all the others.

 

I'm not sure how "folk" they truly are, but I'd say my favorite UK "folk/rock" guys are Roy Harper and Michael Chapman.