AcousticMusicScene.com is pleased to publish the monthly Top Albums and Songs charts compiled by Richard Gillmann of KBCS-FM in Bellevue/Seattle, Washington, from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio.

In October 2011, Light in the Sky, the new release by female Americana-roots trio Red Molly, topped the albums chart and also sported three of the top 10 songs. The #1 most played song of the month on folk radio was a rendition of Paul Simon’s “Leaves That Are Green” by folksinger and jewelry designer Mara Levine with folk harmony trio Gathering Time from her forthcoming album, Jewels and Harmony.

The October 2011 charts are based on 14,352 airplays from 156 different DJs. The number of spins (airplay) is shown in parentheses.

Top Albums of October 2011

Photo: Annabel Braithwaite

1: “Light In The Sky,” Red Molly [redmolly.com, new] (115)
“Walk Beside Me”
“Dear Someone”
“Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”
“Come On In My Kitchen”
“Your Long Journey”
2: “Two Nights In Texas,” Kate Campbell [Large River, 9/11] (73)
“Galaxie 500”
“Cotton Field Away”
“Crazy In Alabama”
“Free World”
3: “Lifeboats For Atlantis,” Heather Styka [Kite Stripe, new] (63)
“Lucy And Sarah”
“Tightrope Walker”
“Atlantis”
“Dragon Kite”
4: “Friends Of Fall,” Crooked Still [Signature, new] (59)
“American Tune”
“It’ll End Too Soon”
“We Can Work It Out”
“Morning Bugle”
5: “A Passing Glimpse,” Pharis And Jason Romero [Lula, 7/11] (54)
“Engine 143”
“Where Is The Gamblin’ Man?”
“Forsaken Love”
6: “Perfect Storm,” Dan Crary And Thunderation [Blue Night, 7/11] (49)
“Girl From The North Country”
“Deep River Blues”
“One More Dollar”
“Muley Was A Railroad Man”
7: “Footwork,” The Barefoot Movement [Lonesome, 6/11] (46)
“Southfork By Midnight”
“Calico Jack”
“Circles”
7: “The Harrow And The Harvest,” Gillian Welch [Acony, 6/11] (46)
“Hard Times”
“6 White Horses”
“Way It Goes”
“Scarlet Town”
7: “Old White Men,” Vance Gilbert [Disismye, 9/11] (46)
“Old White Men”
“Boy On A Train”
“Dragonfly Wings”
10: “Shadow And Light,” John Doyle [Compass, new] (45)
“Little Sparrow”
“Clear The Way”
“Tribute To Donal Ward/The Currachman”
10: “That’s How We Run,” April Verch [Slab Town, 6/11] (45)
“Lazy John”
“That’s How We Run”
“Guide Me Home”
12: “Love My Stuff,” Paul Geremia [Red House, new] (44)
“Silver City Bound”
“Mama Don’t Allow No Low Down Hangin’ Around”
“Lovin’ Sam”
13: “The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams,” Various Artists [Columbia, new] (43)
“Love That Faded,” Bob Dylan
“Oh, Mama, Come Home,” Jakob Dylan
“How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart,” Norah Jones
14: “Jewels And Harmony,” Mara Levine with Gathering Time
[myspace.com/maralevine, new] (41)
“Leaves That Are Green”
15: “Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down,” Ry Cooder [Nonesuch, 8/11] (39)
“No Banker Left Behind”
“No Hard Feelings”
“El Corrido De Jesse James”
15: “Row Upon Row Of The People They Know,” The Once [Borealis, new] (39)
“Cradle Hill”
“You’re My Best Friend”
“By The Glow Of The Kerosene Light”
17: “Oil Town,” Paul Sachs [paulsachs.com, 7/11] (38)
“Great Gatsby Days”
“Dirty Trucks”
“Oil Town”
18: “Journeyman,” David Ferrard [Alter Road, 6/11] (37)
“Bridges”
“I Am An Immigrant”
“I Want To Be With You”
19: “The Horse King,” Cosy Sheridan [Waterbug, new] (35)
“Higher Financial Reform”
“Angels In Rome”
“Keep Your Overhead Low”
19: “Mercury,” Pieta Brown [Red House, 9/11] (35)
“Butterfly Blues”
“Closing Time”
“Glory To Glory”
21: “Past Perfect,” Steve Spurgin [Blue Night, 4/11] (32)
“Fire On The Kettle”
“Kodak 1955”
“Collar To The Wind”
22: “Brother Sun,” Brother Sun [World Wide, 2/11] (31)
“All I Want Is A Garden”
“Come With Me”
“Sister Moon”
22: “The Famous Rocket Cage,” Donal Hinely [Atom, 5/11] (31)
“The Famous Rocket Cage”
“5 Bucks”
“Flesh And Bone”
22: “Mesabi,” Tom Russell [Shout Factory, 9/11] (31)
“Goodnight, Juarez”
“Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall”
“Mesabi”
25: “Sun Sessions,” Dale Watson & The Texas Two [Red House, new] (30)
“Down Down Down Down Down”
“My Baby Makes Me Gravy”
“Gothenburg Train”
26: “Everything Is Everywhere,” Carrie Newcomer [Available Light, new] (29)
“I Believe”
“Air And Smoke”
“Everything Is Everywhere”
26: “The Hogtown Sessions,” Ivan Rosenberg And The Foggy Hogtown Boys
[Vole-O-Tone, 8/11] (29)
“New York Town”
“Low And Lonesome Sea”
“Up This Hill And Down”
26: “In This Light,” Rj Cowdery [Blue Rock, 6/11] (29)
“In This Light”
“I’ll Keep Trying”
“Other Side Of Love”
26: “Shoot The Moon,” Angel Band [Big I Deer, new] (29)
“Shoot The Moon”
“Bring It On Home To Me”
“Love Lives Here”
26: “Then And Now,” Byrd & Street [byrdandstreet.com, 7/11] (29)
“Checkout Line”
“Lightning Bugs”
“Long Line Of Love”
31: “Moody Bluegrass Two… Much Love,” Moody Bluegrass [Bunny Rae, 9/11] (27)
“You And Me”
“Higher And Higher”
32: “American Story,” Bearfoot [Compass, 9/11] (26)
“Tell Me A Story”
“Come Get Your Lonesome”
“Kill The Rooster”
32: “Bad Man’s Blood,” Ray Bonneville [Red House, 8/11] (26)
“Blonde Of Mine”
“Mississippi”
32: “Jump With A Child’s Heart,” Annie Crane [Constant Clip, new] (26)
“Jump With A Child’s Heart”
“You And Me And The Evergreen”
32: “Line-Up,” Battlefield Band [Temple, 7/11] (26)
“That’s How Strong My Love Is”
“Easy Peasy”
32: “Man With A Love Song,” James Hill [Borealis, 10/11] (26)
“Hand Over My Heart”
“Any Old Lover”
37: “Salt,” Hoots And Hellmouth [hootsandhellmouth.com, new] (24)
“Apple Like A Wrecking Ball”
“Great Day In The Morning”
38: “Something To Believe,” Freebo [Poppabo, 6/11] (23)
“When There’s No Place Like Home”
“Something To Believe”
39: “American Anonymous,” Joel Mabus [Fossil, 7/11] (22)
“Farmer Is The Man”
“Grieve My Lord No More”
39: “Misery Loves Company,” Mary Flower [Yellow Dog, new] (22)
“Shake Sugaree”
“Goin’ To Sit Down On The Banks Of The River”
“Recession Rag”
39: “On The Brooklyn Road,” Nell Robinson [nellrobinsonmusic.com, 6/11] (22)
“Turn Your Radio On”
39: “Skippin’ And Flyin’,” Laurie Lewis [Spruce And Maple, new] (22)
“Going Away”
“Old 10 Brocek”
43: “Birds Of A Feather,” Red Hen Stringband [Wepecket Island, 6/11] (21)
“Colours”
“Martin Said To His Man”
43: “Gakondo,” Mighty Popo [Borealis, 10/10] (21)
“Urugendo”
“Kamananga”
43: “Help My Brother,” Gibson Brothers [Compass, 2/11] (21)
“Help My Brother”
“Waklin’ West To Memphis”
43: “Late Edition,” David Francey [Laker, 5/11] (21)
“When I’m Not Thinking About You”
“Pretty Jackals”
“Wonder”
43: “On The Other Side Of The City,” Downtown Ramblers
[downtownramblers.com, 8/11] (21)
“After We’re Gone”
“I Will Follow”
48: “How To Tune A Fish,” Beoga [Compass, 7/11] (20)
“Ballymacaldrick”
“Woman Of No Place”
48: “Paper Airplane,” Alison Krauss And Union Station [Rounder, 4/11] (20)
“Dust Bowl Children”
“Dimming Of The Day”
50: “Beauty Queen Sister,” Indigo Girls [Vanguard, new] (19)
“Able To Sing”
“Beauty Queen Sister”
50: “Bright Morning Stars,” The Wailin’ Jennys [Red House, 2/11] (19)
“Bright Morning Stars”
“Swing Low Sail High”
50: “Catch 23,” The 23 String Band [the23stringband.com, 8/11] (19)
“Catch 23”
“Leave Everything To Me”
50: “Subtotal Eclipse,” Chuck Brodsky [chuckbrodsky.com, 6/11] (19)
“I Tried Fitting In”
“Roberto”
50: “This Unknown Science,” Joy Kills Sorrow [Signature, 9/11] (19)
“Eli”
“New Man”
“Reservations”
55: “An Easy Climb,” Donna Ulisse [Hadley, 6/11] (18)
“Let It Rain”
55: “Middle Of Everywhere,” Pokey Lafarge And The South City Three
[Free Dirt, 7/11] (18)
“Coffee Pot Blues”
55: “Monongah,” Kyle Carey [kyleannecarey.com, 6/11] (18)
“Monongah”
“Devil At Your Back”
55: “The Once,” The Once [Borealis, 9/10] (18)
“Sail Away To The Sea”
“You’re My Best Friend”
55: “Rocky Frontier,” Lou And Peter Berryman [Cornbelt, new] (18)
“How We Can Sleep At Night”
55: “Sounds Of Home,” Blue Highway [Rounder, 8/11] (18)
“I Ain’t Gonna Lay My Hammer Down”
“Sounds Of Home”
55: “Stretch Limousine On Fire,” Catie Curtis [Compass, 8/11] (18)
“Highway Del Sol”
“Let It Last”
55: “We Could Be Beekeepers,” Putnam Smith [Itchy Sabot, 6/11] (18)
“Birds Would Understand”
63: “Get Your Phil,” Disappear Fear [disappearfear.com, 7/11] (17)
“Changes”
“When I’m Gone”
63: “Hold On Me,” Spring Creek [springcreekbluegrassband.com, 8/11] (17)
“It’s A Banjo Playing”
“Mockingbird”
63: “If Stones Could Talk,” Gene And Gayla Mills [Heart Pine, 7/11] (17)
“Talking To A Stone”
“River, Railway, Road”
63: “Moonlit Rambles,” Scott Cook [scottcook.net, 6/11] (17)
“Going Up To The Country”
“Song For The Slow Dancers”
67: “Frank Solivan And Dirty Kitchen,” Frank Solivan And Dirty
Kitchen [Fiddlemon, 8/10] (16)
“Paul And Silas”
“Together We’ll Fly”
67: “Box Of Troubles,” Danielle Miraglia [daniellem.com, 7/11] (16)
“Stagger Lee”
“Fold My Hand”
67: “Meant To Be,” Mare Wakefield [marewakefield.com, 3/11] (16)
“Folk Songs”
67: “Songs Of Freedom,” Rod MacDonald [Blue Flute, 5/11] (16)
“Moron Radio”
“Big Money”

Top Songs of October 2011

Mara Levine (second from right) and Gathering Time flank Philadelphia-based DJ Gene Shay

1. “Leaves That Are Green” (40)
by Mara Levine with Gathering Time
from “Jewels And Harmony”
2. “Walk Beside Me” (22)
by Red Molly
from “Light In The Sky”
3. “American Tune” (18)
by Crooked Still
from “Friends Of Fall”
3. “Cradle Hill” (18)
by The Once
from “Row Upon Row Of The People They Know”
3. “Old White Men” (18)
by Vance Gilbert
from “Old White Men”
6. “Dear Someone” (16)
by Red Molly
from “Light In The Sky”
6. “No Banker Left Behind” (16)
by Ry Cooder
from “Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down”
8. “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” (15)
by Red Molly
from “Light In The Sky”
9. “Higher Financial Reform” (13)
by Cosy Sheridan
from “The Horse King”
9. “Little Sparrow” (13)
by John Doyle
from “Shadow And Light”
11. “Are You Happy Now?” (12)
by Richard Shindell
from “Sparrows Point”
11. “Come On In My Kitchen” (12)
by Red Molly
from “Light In The Sky”
11. “Galaxie 500” (12)
by Kate Campbell
from “Two Nights In Texas”
11. “It’ll End Too Soon” (12)
by Crooked Still
from “Friends Of Fall”
11. “We Can Work It Out” (12)
by Crooked Still
from “Friends Of Fall”
11. “You’re My Best Friend” (12)
by The Once
from “Row Upon Row Of The People They Know”
17. “Deep River Blues” (11)
by Dan Crary And Thunderation
from “Perfect Storm”
17. “Love That Faded” (11)
by Bob Dylan
from “The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams”
17. “When Fall Comes To New England” (11)
by Cheryl Wheeler
from “Driving Home”
also “When October Goes”
20. “Boy On A Train” (10)
by Vance Gilbert
from “Old White Men”
20. “Cotton Field Away” (10)
by Kate Campbell
from “Two Nights In Texas”
20. “Girl From The North Country” (10)
by Dan Crary And Thunderation
from “Perfect Storm”
20. “Great Gatsby Days” (10)
by Paul Sachs
from “Oil Town”
20. “Southfork By Midnight” (10)
by The Barefoot Movement
from “Footwork”
20. “Way It Goes” (10)
by Gillian Welch
from “The Harrow And The Harvest”