Whistle Down the Wind by Joan Baez and Ghost Light by John McCutcheon were the most-played albums on folk radio during March 2018. “The President Sang Amazing Grace,” written by Zoe Mulford and recorded by Joan Baez, was the month’s top song. So say 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. McCutcheon’s Ghost Light also was the most-played album in February, while “Hole” by Tracy Grammer was that month’s most-played song.

The March 2018 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14,096 airplays from 137 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The top albums and songs charts had been voluntarily compiled for some 20 years by Richard Gillmann, a former folk DJ, and, as of this year, are now being compiled by others under the auspices of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a Kansas City, MO-based nonprofit organization that aims to nurture, engage and empower the international folk music community – traditional and contemporary, amateur and professional – through education, advocacy and performance The monthly top albums and songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of March 2018

Joan Baez - Whistle Down the Wind1. Whistle Down the Wind by Joan Baez (95)
1. Ghost Light by John McCutcheon (95)
3. Hot Jazz, Cool Blues and Hard-Hitting Songs by Barbara Dane (92)
4. See You Around by I’m With Her (88)
5. Low Tide by Tracy Grammer (80)
6. When the Sun Comes Up by The Lonesome Ace Stringband (78)
7. Time Is Everything by Vivian Leva (75)
8. Prophets on the Boulevard by Rob McHale (74)
9. The Gap of Dreams by Altan (72)
10. Old Freight by Alan Barnosky (71)
11. True in Time by John Gorka (59)
12. Ukulele Crimes by Joel Mabus (48)
13. Call Me Lucky by Chris Smither (47)
14. Live at Club 47 by Doc Watson (42)
15. The Invisible Comes to Us by Anna and Elizabeth (41)
15. Sunshiner by The Mammals (41)
15. Natural by Jesse Terry (41)
18. No Pressure by Hot Club Sandwich (39)
19. A Heart Never Knows by The Price Sisters (38)
19. Open Road, Broken Heart by True North (38)
21. Ginkgo by Johnsmith (37)
22. American Folk (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists (33)
22. North of Despair by Wood and Wire (33)
24. Time to Fly by Mare Wakefield and Nomad (31)
24. Rifles and Rosary Beads by Mary Gauthier (31)
26. The Starlighter by Shawn Colvin (30)
26. Carry Me Along by Dave Richardson (30)
28. The Art of Forgetting by Kyle Carey (29)
28. Lord of the Desert by 3hattrio (29)
28. Edgeland by Kim Richey (29)
31. Black Cowboys by Dom Flemons (28)
31. 2000 Miles From Nashville by Wylie and the Wild West (28)
31. Live From the Art Farm by The Fretless (28)
31. By the Way, I Forgive You by Brandi Carlile (28)
35. Arkansas by John Oates (27)
35. Wishes on a Neon Sign by Abbie Gardner (27)
35. Open Road by Diane Patterson (27)
38. Out in the Open by Steep Canyon Rangers (26)
38. American Road: An American Roots Acoustic Sojourn by Gary Paul (26)
38. Settling Scores Vol. II by Grant Peeples and the Peeples Republik (26)
41. The Thousand Incarnations of the Rose by Various Artists (25)
41. Fifteen by Wailin’ Jennys (25)
41. Tearing at the Seams by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (25)
44. Skeins by Andrew and Casey Calhoun (24)
44. Songs From the Deluge by Western Centuries (24)
46. Letters Never Read by Dori Freeman (23)
46. The Next Chapter by Connla (23)
48. Out Past the Wires by Rod Picott (21)
49. You Are Welcome Here by Eric Bannan (20)
49. Usher’s Island by Usher’s Island (20)
49. Homeland by Mick Hanly (20)
52. The Forgotten: Recovered Treasures From the Pen of Si Kahn by Joe Jencks (19)
52. The Ode by Horseshoes and Hand Grenades (19)
52. Extralife by Darlingside (19)
52. 10,000 Days Like These by Low Lily (19)
56. The Promise of Strangers by Fugitives (18)
56. Reunion of Broken Parts by Ruth Hill (18)
56. Big Fat Love by Chris LaVancher (18)
56. The Ledges by Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert (18)
60. Show the Love by Various Artists (17)
60. After the Flood by After the Flood (17)
60. Spaghettification by Christine Lavin (17)
63. Heartbreak Song for the Radio by The LYNNeS (16)
63. Home on the River by Caroline Cotter (16)
63. The Gospel Truth Live by Marie Knight (16)
63. Freedom Highway by Rhiannon Giddens (16)
63. Accomplice One by Tommy Emmanuel (16)
68. Bidin’ My Time by Chris Hillman (15)
68. A Stranger in This Time by Tim Grimm and the Family Band (15)
68. The Orphan King by Ed Romanoff (15)

Top Songs of March 2018

1. “The President Sang Amazing Grace” by Joan Baez (26)
Songwriter: Zoe Mulford
2. “This Road” by John McCutcheon (18)
2. “The Great Correction” by Joan Baez (18)
4. “Old Freight” by Alan Barnosky (17)
4. “Bowling Green” by Alan Barnosky (17)
4. “Ain’t That Fine” by I’m With Her (17)
7. “Whistle Down the Wind” by Joan Baez (16)
8. “Ukulele Crimes” by Joel Mabus (15)
8. “Common Ground” by Rob McHale (15)
10. “See You Around” by I’m With Her (14)
11. “Hole” by Tracy Grammer (13)
11. “Woody’s Shoes” by Rob McHale (13)
11. “I Wish the Wars Were All Over” by Joan Baez (13)
11. “Time Is Everything” by Vivian Leva (13)
15. “She Just Dances” by John McCutcheon (12)
15. “At My Kitchen Table” by The Lonesome Ace Stringband (12)
15. “The Verdant Mile” by Tracy Grammer (12)
18. “The Gun” by Byrd and Street (11)
18. “Knockin’ on Your Screen Door” by John Prine (11)
18. “I-89” by I’m With Her (11)
18. “Why Are the Guns Still Firing” by Joe Jencks (11)
18. “The Gap of Dreams/Nia’s Jig/the Beekeeper” by Altan (11)
23. “Free” by Tracy Grammer (10)
23. “Swang Thang” by Hot Club Sandwich (10)
23. “Pretty Boy Floyd” by The Lonesome Ace Stringband (10)
23. “Dust Devil” by 3hattrio (10)
23. “Mother in the Graveyard” by Anna and Elizabeth (10)
23. “Blair Mountain” by Rob McHale (10)
23. “Nobody Home” by Chris Smither (10)

Posted below are the top albums and songs for February 2018. These FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 12,024 airplays from 133 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown in parentheses.

Top Albums of February 2018

John McCutcheon - Ghost Light1. Ghost Light by John McCutcheon (149)
2. Low Tide by Tracy Grammer (100)
3. See You Around by I’m With Her (85)
4. Time to Fly by Mare Wakefield and Nomad (76)
5. American Folk (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists (64)
6. True in Time by John Gorka (63)
7. Ginkgo by Johnsmith (62)
8. Open Road, Broken Heart by True North (61)
9. Wishes on a Neon Sign by Abbie Gardner (53)
10. The Art of Forgetting by Kyle Carey (47)
11. Rifles and Rosary Beads by Mary Gauthier (45)
12. Time Is Everything by Vivian Leva (41)
13. Settling Scores, Vol. II by Grant Peeples and the Peeples Republik (39)
13. Call Me Lucky by Chris Smither (39)
15. The Promise of Strangers by The Fugitives (37)
16. Skeins by Andrew and Casey Calhoun (35)
17. Out in the Open by The Steep Canyon Rangers (31)
17. Big Fat Love by Chris LaVancher (31)
17. Lord of the Desert by 3hattrio (31)
20. Letters Never Read by Dori Freeman (30)
21. A Heart Never Knows by The Price Sisters (29)
22. Gut It to the Studs by Letitia VanSant (28)
22. Whistle Down the Wind by Joan Baez (28)
22. The Orphan King by Ed Romanoff (28)
25. February by Simon Linsteadt (26)
25. Home on the River by Caroline Cotter (26)
25. Short Stories by Beppe Gambetta (26)
25. Fifteen by The Wailin’ Jennys (26)
25. Little Red Wagon by Elly Wininger (26)
25. After the Flood by After the Flood (26)
31. Accomplice One by Tommy Emmanuel (24)
31. Reunion of Broken Parts by Ruth Hill (24)
33. One With the Tide by Alice DiMicele (23)
34. While I Was Asleep by Darling West (22)
34. Echo in the Valley by Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn (22)
36. Poets, Philosophers, Workers and Wanderers by Joe Jencks (21)
37. Turmoil and Tinfoil by Billy Strings (20)
37. Arkansas by John Oates (20)
37. You Are Welcome Here by Eric Bannan (20)
40. Heartbreak Song for the Radio by The LYNNeS (19)
40. Live at Club 47 by Doc Watson (19)
40. Rise by Molly Tuttle (19)
40. Spaghettification by Christine Lavin (19)
40. Mixtape by Mark Erelli (19)
45. Bidin’ My Time by Chris Hillman (18)
45. Go by Gloria Attoun (18)
45. Rare Songs by John O’Connor (18)
48. Ukulele Crimes by Joel Mabus (17)
49. The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (16)
50. A Game of Swans by Nancy K Dillon (15)
50. Pirate by Michael Johnathon (15)
50. At the End of the Day by Bett Padgett (15)
50. Laws of Gravity by The Infamous Stringdusters (15)
54. Small Brown Birds by Zoe Mulford (14)
54. String Theory by We Banjo 3 (14)
54. Gettin’ Handy With the Blues: A Tribute to the Legacy of W.C. Handy by Jon Shain (14)
54. Freedom Highway by Rhiannon Giddens (14)
54. Evermore by Smithfield Fair (14)
54. Sing Louder by Meghan Cary (14)
54. The Gap of Dreams by Altan (14)
61. Countries by Van William (13)
61. Love Is an Army by Janiva Magness (13)
61. True Enough by Larry Kaplan (13)
61. The Long-Awaited Album by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers (13)
61. The Family Feast by Uncle Bonsai (13)
61. California Calling by Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards (13)
61. Another Life by Billy Kemp (13)
68. Happy Little Trees by KC Groves (12)
68. Sunshiner by The Mammals (12)
68. Small Believer by Anna Tivel (12)
68. If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous by Sarah McQuaid (12)
68. Spirit to the Sea by Trout Steak Revival (12)

Top Songs of February 2018

1. “Hole” by Tracy Grammer (27)
2. “Real Big Love” by Mare Wakefield and Nomad (22)
3. “This Road” by John McCutcheon (21)
4. “A Perfect Day” by John McCutcheon (19)
5. “Good Life” by Tracy Grammer (16)
5. “The Machine” by John McCutcheon (16)
7. “When My Fight for Life Is Over” by John McCutcheon (15)
7. “Ghost Light” by John McCutcheon (15)
9. “Ain’t That Fine” by I’m With Her (14)
10. “February” by Simon Linsteadt (13)
10. “She Just Dances” by John McCutcheon (13)
10. “Nazarene Guitar” by John Gorka (13)
10. “Forty-Niner” by Tracy Grammer (13)
14. “Pitchforks and Torches” by Grant Peeples and the Peeples Republik (12)
14. “Game to Lose” by I’m With Her (12)
14. “Cold Mountains” by Vivian Leva (12)
17. “Jojo’s Bread” by Johnsmith (11)
17. “Dust Devil” by 3hattrio (11)
19. “Crescent City” by I’m With Her (10)
19. “Me and Jesus” by John McCutcheon (10)
19. “The Verdant Mile” by Tracy Grammer (10)
19. “Townes” by Amber Rubarth and Joe Purdy (10)
19. “Soldiering On” by Mary Gauthier (10)
19. “See This Winter Out” by The Fugitives (10)
19. “Wilder Than Her” by True North (10)