Layout 1Folk harmony trio Brother Sun’s album Weights & Wings was #1 on folk radio during April 2016. The trio — comprised of veteran touring singer-songwriters Greg Greenway, Joe Jencks and Pat Wictor — also had the most-played song (“Mary Don’t You Weep and Moan”). So say the airplay charts compiled from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio. Brother Sun’s previous release, Some Part of the Truth, was the most-played album on folk radio during 2013.

The April 2016 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14,169 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 April 2016

1: Weights & Wings, Brother Sun [brothersun.com, 4/16] (113)
2: Old Songs For Modern Folk, Vincent Cross [Rescue Dog, 4/16] (72)
3: The Deep Hollow, The Deep Hollow [thedeephollow.com, 4/16] (63)
4: I Love Hamburgers, Joe Giacoio [Romantic Devil, 10/15] (61)
5: Restless Moon, Meg Braun [megbraun.com, 4/15] (57)
6: Charismo, Hackensaw Boys [Free Dirt, 4/16] (56)
7: Empty Train, David Francey [Laker, 2/16] (48)
8: Excellent Day, Lizanne Knott [Proper, 4/16] (45)
8: Sometimes I Feel Too Much, Cosy Sheridan [cosysheridan.com, new] (45)
10: Keepsake, Gathering Time [Treble-G, 3/16] (44)
11: All These Years, Solas [THL, 2/16] (43)
12: Full Circle, Loretta Lynn [Legacy, 3/16] (39)
13: Dark Horse Days, Donal Hinely [Atom, 2/16] (38)
13: More Alive, Don White [donwhite.net, 11/15] (38)
15: Ladies And Gentlemen, Infamous Stringdusters [Compass, 1/16] (36)
16: Freedom Blues, Ken Whiteley [Borealis, 4/16] (34)
16: Grain By Grain, Mark Mandeville And Raianne Richards [Nobody’s Favorite, 4/16] (34)
16: Totally Average Woman, Carla Ulbrich [Romantic Devil, 8/15] (34)
16: Washashore Cowgirl, Monica Rizzio [monicarizzio.com, 2/16] (34)
20: For A Song, Mark Erelli [markerelli.com, 4/16] (32)
21: Blue Skies, Mountain Heart [Compass, new] (31)
21: Electricity, Victor And Penny [Overtone, 3/16] (31)
23: At Home And In Nashville, Andy Ferrell [andyferrellmusic.com, 3/16] (30)
23: The Both, Eli West [elidoes.bandcamp.com, 2/16] (30)
23: The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1), Kate Campbell [Large River, 1/16] (30)
23: Trail Of Tales, The Bills [Borealis, new] (30)
23: Worth The Wait, Goodbye Blue [Wondermore, 3/16] (30)
28: Family, Friends And Heroes, Frank Solivan [Compass, 3/16] (28)
28: I Was So Fond Of You, Matt Patershuk [Black Hen, 2/16] (28)
30: The Hazel And Alice Sessions, Laurie Lewis And The Right Hands [Spruce And Maple, 1/16] (27)
31: Folk Art, The Robert Bobby Duo [I Likemike, 2/16] (26)
32: The Buck Stops Here, The Buck Stops Here Band [Self, new] (25)
32: Del And Woody, Del McCoury Band [Self, new] (25)
32: These Are The Days, Burning Bridget Cleary [burningbridgetcleary.com, 11/15] (25)
32: A Tribute To Jack Hardy, Various Artists [Smithsonian/Folkways, 3/16] (25)
36: Calla’s Waltz, Jed Marum [Boston Road, 3/16] (24)
36: Django And Jimmie, Willie Nelson And Merle Haggard [Legacy, 6/15] (24)
38: Beyond The Ash And Steel, Judy Kass [judykassmusic.com, 1/16] (23)
38: The Complete ’60s Capitol Singles, Merle Haggard [Omnivore, 2013] (23)
38: Echoes, Jason Wilber [Self, new] (23)
38: Jump The Fire, Evie Ladin Band [Evil Diane, new] (23)
42: Didn’t We Waltz, Amy White with Al Petteway [Fairewood, 1/16] (21)
42: Dori Freeman, Dori Freeman [Free Dirt, 2/16] (21)
42: Lambert And Walz, Lambert And Walz [Self, 3/16] (21)
42: Traveling Circus, No Fuss And Feathers [Roadshow, 1/16] (21)
46: Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams, Corin Raymond [Local Rascal, 3/16] (20)
46: Real Midnight, Birds Of Chicago [5 Head, 2/16] (20)
48: Extraordinary Days, Rebecca Folsom [rebeccafolsom.com, 1/16] (19)
48: Live From Blue Rock, Moors And McCumber [moorsandmccumber.bandcamp.com, 2/16] (19)
50: Foxhounds, Kathy Kallick Band [Live Oak, 11/15] (18)
50: God Don’t Never Change: The Songs Of Blind Willie Johnson, Various Artists [Alligator, 2/16] (18)
50: Just For The Love Of It, Happy Traum [happytraum.com, 7/15] (18)
50: Orchids And Violence, Michael Daves [Nonesuch, 2/16] (18)
50: Still The Birds, Darryl Purpose [Blue Rock, new] (18)
50: Welcoming The Flood, Scott Wolfson And Other Heroes [scottwolfson.com, 1/16] (18)
56: Cajun Fandango, Michael Doucet And Tom Rigney [Parhelion, new] (17)
56: In The Magic Hour, Aoife O’Donovan [Yep Roc, 1/16] (17)
56: Paths That Wind, The Paul McKenna Band [paulmckennaband.com, 4/16] (17)
56: Resilience, Robinlee Garber [Joygirl, 3/16] (17)
56: Upland Stories, Robbie Fulks [Bloodshot, 4/16] (17)
56: Weighted Mind, Sierra Hull [Rounder, 1/16] (17)
56: Wondrous Traveler, The Small Glories [Self, 2/16] (17)
63: Beyond The Bog Road, Eileen Ivers [Eone, 3/16] (16)
63: Lovers And Leavers, Hayes Carll [Hwy 87, new] (16)
63: Traveling Roots, Matt Flinner Trio [Compass, 1/16] (16)
63: Tulare Dust: A Songwrters’ Tribute To Merle Haggard, Various Artists [Hightone, 1994] (16)
67: Are You Serious, Andrew Bird [Loma Vista, new] (15)
67: Fine Bloom, Free The Honey [freethehoney.com, 9/15] (15)
67: The Fretless, The Fretless [Self, 2014] (15)
67: What’s That I Hear?: The Songs of Phil Ochs, Various Artists [Sliced Bread, 1998] (15)

Top Songs of April 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9a9yFSceNw
(“Mary Don’t You Weep And Moan,” recorded by Brother Sun)

1. “Mary Don’t You Weep and Moan” (23)
by Brother Sun
from Weights & Wings
2. “Storms Are On The Ocean” (20)
by Meg Braun
from Restless Moon
2. “When I’m Gone” (20)
by Brother Sun
from Weights & Wings
4. “I Love Hamburgers” (18)
by Joe Giacoio
from I Love Hamburgers
5. “Mama Tried” (16)
by Merle Haggard
from Complete ’60s Capitol Singles
6. “Good Thing She Can’t Read My Mind” (15)
by Don White
from More Alive
7. “Lay My Burden Down” (14)
by Lizanne Knott
from Excellent Day
7. “Straight To You” (14)
by The Deep Hollow
from The Deep Hollow
7. “Woody Guthrie Watch Over Me” (14)
by Cosy Sheridan
from Sometimes I Feel Too Much
10. “Michael Brown” (13)
by Vincent Cross
from Old Songs For Modern Folk
11. “Mighty Long Way” (12)
by Brother Sun
from Weights & Wings
11. “Where Are You Moses” (12)
by Brother Sun
from Weights & Wings
13. “Content Not Seeking Thrills” (11)
by Hackensaw Boys
from Charismo
13. “Freeport Town” (11)
by Vincent Cross
from Old Songs For Modern Folk
13. “Gypsy Moon” (11)
by Meg Braun
from Restless Moon
13. “Last Dime Blues” (11)
by Andy Ferrell
from At Home And In Nashville
13. “Lonesome Valley” (11)
by Eli West
from The Both
13. “When Doves Cry” (11)
by The Be Good Tanyas
from Hello Love
19. “Barn Wood” (10)
by Donal Hinely
from Dark Horse Days
19. “Maggie’s Farm” (10)
by Mountain Heart
from Blue Skies
19. “Okie From Muskogee” (10)
by Merle Haggard
from Essential Merle Haggard – The Epic Years
19. “Pigs” (10)
by Joe Giacoio
from I Love Hamburgers
19. “Totally Average Woman” (10)
by Carla Ulbrich
from Totally Average Woman
24. “Beginning And The End” (9)
by The Deep Hollow
from The Deep Hollow
24. “Devil” (9)
by The Deep Hollow
from The Deep Hollow
24. “Empty Train” (9)
by David Francey
from Empty Train
24. “Garments Of Shame” (9)
by Vincent Cross
from Old Songs For Modern Folk
24. “Grain By Grain” (9)
by Mark Mandeville And Raianne Richards
from Grain By Grain
24. “Holy Ground” (9)
by David Francey
from Empty Train
24. “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” (9)
by Phil Ochs
from I Ain’t Marching Anymore
24. “Keep On Going” (9)
by Brother Sun
from Weights & Wings
24. “Paradise” (9)
by Jason Wilber
from Echoes
24. “Silver Wings” (9)
by Merle Haggard
from The Complete ’60s Capitol Singles
24. “Who Knows Where The Time Goes” (9)
by Gathering Time
from Keepsake