Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays was the most-played album on folk radio during December 2015, while “Longest Night of the Year” by Joe Jencks, from that CD distributed by radio promoter Erik Balkey, tied with John McCutcheon’s classic “Christmas in the Trenches” as the month’s most-played song. So say charts compiled by Richard Gillmann from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio.

The December 2015 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14,929 airplays from 144 different DJs. Label and release date appear in brackets below, while the number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com with permission.

Top Albums of December 2015

1: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, new] (122)
2: Joy Of Living: A Tribute To Ewan MacColl, Various Artists [Compass, 10/15] (68)
3: Foxhounds, Kathy Kallick Band [Live Oak, 11/15] (67)
4: At Peace With One’s Ghosts, The Paperboys [paperboys.com, 12/14] (50)
5: Dancing Toward The Light, Jesse Palidofsky [Azalea City, 7/14] (43)
6: Just For The Love Of It, Happy Traum [happytraum.com, 7/15] (38)
7: The Back Of Winter, Adrianna Ciccone [adriannaciccone.com, 9/15] (35)
8: Christine Lavin Presents: Just One Angel v2.0, Various Artists [Yellow Tail, 2013] (34)
9: Sorrows And Glories, Red Moon Road [redmoonroad.com, 9/15] (33)
10: Ain’t We Brothers, Sam Gleaves [Community, 11/15] (29)
10: The Tennessee Sessions, The Swamp Brothers [Itchy Sabot, 7/15] (29)
12: Pompadour, Tim O’Brien [Howdy Skies, 10/15] (28)
12: So Familiar, Steve Martin And Edie Brickell [Rounder, 10/15] (28)
14: Midwinter, Peter Mayer [Blue Boat, 2005] (27)
15: Knockout Rose, Boxcar Lilies [boxcarlilies.com, 9/15] (26)
15: Shifted,”Harpeth Rising [Grimm Rising, 8/15] (26)
17: Fine Bloom, Free The Honey [freethehoney.com, 9/15] (24)
17: Manannan’s Cloak, Barrule [Easy On The Record, 5/15] (24)
19: I Am American, Michael Troy [folkmichaeltroy.com, 10/15] (23)
19: Shadow Trails, Linda McRae [Borealis, 9/15] (23)
21: Come Darkness, Come Light, Mary Chapin Carpenter [Zoe, 2008] (22)
21: Gift Of The Magi, Darryl Purpose [darrylpurpose.com, 2002] (22)
21: The Ultimate Guide To Scottish Folk, Various Artists [ARC, 10/15] (22)
21: Winter’s Grace, Laurie Lewis And Tom Rozum [Signature, 1999] (22)
25: Anna And Elizabeth, Anna And Elizabeth [Free Dirt, 3/15] (21)
25: Charm City Junction, Charm City Junction [Patuxent, 6/15] (21)
25: Ready For The Storm, Lori Lieberman [Drive On, 10/15] (21)
25: This River, Amy Soucy [amysoucymusic.com, 6/15] (21)
29: North East Rising Sun, Brooksie Wells [Down Home Diva, 10/15] (20)
29: The Cutting Edge: 1965-1966 (box set), Bob Dylan [Columbia, 11/15] (20)
29: Hard Cry Moon, Donna Ulisse [Hadley, 9/15] (20)
29: Kokomo Kidd, Guy Davis [M. C., 9/15] (20)
29: Servant Of Love, Patty Griffin [PGM, 10/15] (20)
29: Just One Angel, Christine Lavin And Friends [Yellow Tail, 2010] (20)
29: A Wanderer I’ll Stay, Pharis And Jason Romero [Lula, 3/15] (20)
37: Ballads Long And Short, John Roberts And Debra Cowan [Golden Hind, 7/15] (19)
37:The First Christmas Gift, Robin And Linda Williams [Red House, 2005] (19)
37: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 9: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 12/14] (19)
40: American Noel, Dave Carter And Tracy Grammer [Signature, 2007] (18)
40: Dear Jean: Artists Celebrate Jean Ritchie, Various Artists [Compass, 9/14] (18)
40: Nashville Obsolete, Dave Rawlings Machine [Acony, 9/15] (18)
40: Radio, Steep Canyon Rangers [Rounder, 8/15] (18)
44: At The Turning Of The Year, Herdman, Hills And Mangsen [Hand And Heart, 2000] (17)
44: Holiday!, The Claire Lynch Band [Thrill Hill, 11/14] (17)
44: Skin And Bone, Mark Brown [Self, 6/15] (17)
44: The Song Of The Banjo, Alison Brown [Compass, 10/15] (17)
44: Waterbound, Molasses Creek [Soundside, 5/15] (17)
49: At Home: The Maine Tour, Noel Paul Stookey [Neworld, 9/15] (16)
49: Bells Of Dublin, The Chieftains [RCA, 1999] (16)
49: Christmas, Bruce Cockburn [Columbia, 1998] (16)
49: Domestic Eccentric, Old Man Luedecke [True North, 7/15] (16)
49: The Fiddle Preacher, Otter Creek [ottercreekduo.com, 8/15] (16)
49: Sundown Over Ghost Town, Eilen Jewell [Signature, 5/15] (16)
49: Third Street, Peter Mayer [Blue Boat, 11/14] (16)
49: A Very Blue Rock Christmas, Various Artists [Blue Rock, 2013] (16)
57: Fifty Clementines, Michael Clem [Virginia Soul, new] (15)
57: Anna Laube, Anna Elizabeth Laube [Pockets, 5/15] (15)
57: Beg And Borrow, Battlefield Band [Temple, 8/15] (15)
57: Blues For Country, The Nouveaux Honkies [tnhband.com, 9/15] (15)
57: Celtic Christmas, Various Artists [Windham Hill, 2007] (15)
57: Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions, Robert Earl Keen [Dualtone, 2/15] (15)
57: So Lucky, The Lucky Sisters [Patio, new] (15)
57: Songs In The Dark, The Wainwright Sisters [Pias America, 11/15] (15)
57: Sorrow Bound, Kaia Kater [Kingswood, 6/15] (15)
57: Tangled Country, The Honey Dewdrops [thehoneydewdrops.com, 3/15] (15)
57: Too Big World, Bumper Jacksons [bumperjacksons.com, 6/15] (15)
57: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 2: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 2007] (15)
57: Winter Solstice, John McCutcheon [Rounder, 1999] (15)
70: All The News That’s Fit To Sing, Phil Ochs [Elektra, 1994] (14)
70: It’s Christmas, David Myles [Little Tiny, 10/14] (14)
70: Joe Hill’s Last Will, John McCutcheon [Appalsongs, 5/15] (14)
70: Leave Some Things Behind, The Steel Wheels [Big Ring, 4/15] (14)
70: Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project, Jayme Stone [Borealis, 2/15] (14)
“Before This Time Another Year”
70: Sugar Plums, Various Artists [Sugar Hill, 1993] (14)
70: Tomorrow Is My Turn, Rhiannon Giddens [Nonesuch, 2/15] (14)
70: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 5: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 2010] (14)

Top Songs of December 2015

Click on the link below to hear Joe Jencks’ “The Longest Night of the Year.” Accompanying the singer-songwriter, known to many as part of the folk harmony trio Brother Sun, are Edie Carey and Harpeth Rising.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaJt3bwdjsI

1. “Christmas In The Trenches” (21)
by John McCutcheon
from Live At Wolf Trap
also Water From Another Time
1. “The Longest Night Of The Year” (21)
by Joe Jencks
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays
3. “Christians And The Pagans” (13)
by Dar Williams
from Mortal City
4. “Auld Lang Syne” (11)
by Kate Taylor
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays
4. “City Of Chains” (11)
by Paperboys
from At Peace With One’s Ghost
4. “Daisy For Gilda” (11)
by Adrianna Ciccone
from The Back Of Winter
4. “Dancing Toward The Light” (11)
by Jesse Palidofsky
from Dancing Toward The Light
4. “River” (11)
by Joni Mitchell
from Blue
also Hits
4. “Wheel Of Fire” (11)
by Barrule
from Manannan’s Cloak
10. “American Noel” (10)
by Dave Carter And Tracy Grammer
from American Noel
also Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration
10. “Better Than The Last” (10)
by The Paperboys
from At Peace With One’s Ghosts
10. “Foxhounds” (10)
by Kathy Kallick Band
from Foxhounds
10. “How Could We Not Believe” (10)
by Anna Laube
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays
10. “Santa Never Brings Me A Banjo” (10)
by David Myles
from It’s Christmas
10. “Snowflakes” (10)
by Kathy Kallick Band
from Foxhounds
16. “Christmas In A Coal Mine” (9)
by Aj Lee
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays
16. “Christmas In Paradise” (9)
by Mary Gauthier
from Filth And Fire
16. “Le Brandy Culotte” (9)
by Adrianna Ciccone
from The Back Of Winter
16. “Let The Mystery Be” (9)
by The Lucky Sisters
from So Lucky
16. “Light The Lamp” (9)
by Emily Kurn
from Christine Lavin Presents: Just One Angel v2.0
16. “Lights Of Chanukah” (9)
by Jay Ungar And Molly Mason
from The Pleasures Of Winter
also A Fiddler’s Holiday
16. “Waltz Into Winter” (9)
by Archie Fisher
from A Silent Song
23. “Back To You” (8)
by Paperboys
from At Peace With One’s Ghost
23. “Christmas In Prison” (8)
by John Prine
from Sweet Revenge
also Souvenirs
23. “Food On The Table” (8)
by The Swamp Brothers
from The Tennessee Sessions
23. “I Am An Immigrant” (8)
by Jesse Palidofsky
from I Am An Immigrant (single)
23. “Joy Of Living” (8)
by David Gray
from Joy Of Living: A Tribute To Ewan MacColl
23. “Little Road To Bethlehem” (8)
by Cassie And Maggie MacDonald
from Little Road To Bethlehem
23. “Our Gingerbread House” (8)
by Becky Buller
from Christmas 45, Vol. 1
23. “Quiet Christmas” (8)
by No Fuss And Feathers
from Traveling Circus
23. “Radio” (8)
by Steep Canyon Rangers
from Radio
23. “Song Of Solstice” (8)
by Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra
from Song Of Solstice
23. “These Ornaments” (8)
by Craig Werth
from Christine Lavin Presents: Just One Angel v2.0
23. “Things Are Coming My Way” (8)
by Happy Traum
from Just For The Love Of It
23. “This Chanukia” (8)
by Daniel Cainer
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays