Songs Doc Didn’t Sing by Doc and Merle Watson was the top album on folk radio in October 2020, while the late father and son were the month’s most-played artists and singer-songwriter Tim Grimm’s “ Gone,” was the month’s most-played song. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio.

Songs Doc Didn’t Sing is a collection of instrumental tunes recorded in the early 1980s by the multi-Grammy Award-winning guitarist, singer and songwriter Doc Watson and his son Merle. The roots-oriented American music legend and National Medal of Arts recipient, best known for his influential folk guitar stylings, played a mix of traditional Appalachian mountain music, bluegrass, blues, and country, while his son Merle (in whose memory MerleFest was named) was an instrumental virtuoso in his own right whose folk and bluegrass guitar and slide playing had a bit more of a bluesy quality.

“Gone” is a digital single from Tim Grimm, a southern Indiana-based folk-Americana singer-songwriter who has recorded a number of albums and songs that have reached the top of the Folk DJ (now FAI Folk Radio) and EuroAmericana charts. He had both the most-played album (A Stranger In This Time) and song (“Gonna Be Great”) on folk radio during 2017, while his 2019 release, Heart Land Again, was the top alum on the Folk DJ Chart that summer. “Woody’s Landlord,” Grimm’s song about Donald Trump’s father, was the most-played song on folk radio in 2016, while “King Of the Folksingers,” a tribute to his friend and musical icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, was the #1 song on the Folk DJ songs chart in 2014. Besides having released a dozen albums over the past 20 years, Grimm has worked as an actor in film, theater and television.

The October 2020 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 13, 453 airplays reported on 464 playlists submitted by 113 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org) is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

Top Albums of October 2020

Songs Doc Didn't Sing1. Songs Doc Didn’t Sing by Doc and Merle Watson (91)
2. Chasing Echoes by Phil Henry (62)
3. Boots No. 2: The Lost Songs, Vol. 1 by Gillian Welch (61)
4. Old Friends by Gathering Time (60)
5. Flyover Country by Susan Werner (59)
6. Tangle of Souls by Scott Cook (56)
7. Shadow of the Cyclone by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (53)
8. The Prettiest Bird by Susan Pepper (51)
9. 2020 by Eliza Gilkyson (49)
9. On My Way to Hooterville by Christine Lavin (49)
9. Woman in Color by Raye Zaragoza (49)
12. Ghost Tattoo by Kristen Grainger and True North (47)
13. Long Time Passing: Kronos Quartet and Friends Celebrate Pete Seeger by Kronos Quartet (46)
13. But I’d Rather Be With You by Molly Tuttle (46)
15. Friend of the Sky by Cej (44)
16. I Can Still Hear You by Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche (43)
16. When I Wait for You by Dirk Powell (43)
18. World on the Ground by Sarah Jarosz (41)
19. The Third Gleam by The Avett Brothers (39)
20. Soul River by Matthew Alexander (38)
21. More From the Levee by Chris Smither (37)
21. Bet on Love by Pharis and Jason Romero (37)
23. 100 Summers by James Lee Baker (36)
23. Diary of a Snowflake by Donal Hinely (36)
23. Pretty Free by Justin Farren (36)
26. Tribulation by Appalachian Road Show (35)
27. The Dirt and the Stars by Mary Chapin Carpenter (34)
28. Cabin Fever: Songs From the Quarantine by John McCutcheon (33)
29. The Balladeer by Lori McKenna (32)
30. Mould’s Undertaking by Mike Craver (31)
31. A Dark Murmuration of Words by Emily Barker (30)
31. I’d Rather Lead a Band by Loudon Wainwright Iii (30)
31. Imagine We Have Wings by Jane Godfrey (30)
34. The Coronavirus Sessions by George Mann (29)
35. Noon by Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon (28)
35. Just Like Leaving by Bella White (28)
37. Another Sky by Kelly’s Lot (26)
38. Uncivil War by Shemekia Copeland (25)
38. Once Upon a River: The Official Motion Picture Soundtrack by Various Artists (25)
38. Roots and Honey by Old-Time Pharmaceuticals (25)
41. Total Freedom by Kathleen Edwards (24)
42. Begin Again by Lyn Koonce (23)
42. Blonde on the Tracks by Emma Swift (23)
42. Pilot Me by Dennis Warner (23)
45. Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes by Leyla McCalla (22)
45. Welcome Home by Michael and Nell (22)
45. Good Good Man by Vance Gilbert (22)
45. Long Day in the Milky Way by Kris Delmhorst (22)
45. Highway Philosophers by Lara Herscovitch (22)
50. Revelation/Revolution by Drew and Clark Mottau (21)
51. Mondegreens by Rachel Garlin (20)
51. Headlight by Della Mae (20)
51. Shape and Destroy by Ruston Kelly (20)
51. The Storyteller’s Suitcase by Ellis Paul (20)
55. Love Circles ‘Round by Byrd and Street (19)
55. Such a Long Way by Jess Jocoy (19)
55. To Live in Two Different Worlds, Volume Two by Thomm Jutz (19)
58. Bonny Light Horseman by Bonny Light Horseman (18)
58. Song Like a Seed by Sara Thomsen (18)
58. This Road by Andy and Judy (18)
58. Motivational Speakeasy by Jordan Tice (18)
58. The Tree of Forgiveness by John Prine (18)
58. The Troth Sessions by Rich Krueger (18)
64. Spider Tales by Jake Blount (17)
64. One Sky by Philip Scott Poli (17)
64. Old Storms in New Places by Graeme James (17)
64. Best of Many Days by Michael Veitch (17)
64. Western Swing and Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs by Colter Wall (17)
69. Hand Me Down by Kate Rusby (16)
69. The Path of Stones by John Doyle (16)
69. Up Around the Bend by Kim Moberg (16)
69. Color Outside the Lines by Jim Stanard (16)
69. Just Where You Are by Tim Laborie (16)

Top Songs of October 2020

[Here’s a link to view a video for the month’s top song – “Gone” by Tim Grimm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPLKgCwBvug}

Tim Grimm's "Gone" was the most-played song on folk radio during October 2020.

Tim Grimm’s “Gone” was the most-played song on folk radio during October 2020.

1. “Gone” by Tim Grimm (59)
2. “When Trouble Comes” by Allison Lupton and Craig Werth (28)
3. “Steel Rail Blues” by Matthew Alexander (18)
4. “I Can Still Hear You” by Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche (17)
4. “Say Can You See” by Scott Cook (17)
6. “Vote” by Spook Handy (16)
7. “A Piece of You” by Abbie Gardner (15)
7. “Hometown” by Sarah Jarosz (15)
9. “Mr. Bojangles” by Jerry Jeff Walker (14)
9. “Windy & Warm” by Doc and Merle Watson (14)
9. “100 Summers” by James Lee Baker (14)
9. “Carry a Tune” by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (14)
13. “Lonely Time” by Chris Smither (13)
13. “Our Turn Now” by Len Seligman (13)
13. “Butterfly” by Kelly’s Lot (13)
13. “Pompei” by Phil Henry (13)
13. “Election Day” by Ellis Paul (13)
13. “There Be Monsters Here” by Phil Henry (13)
19. “One Sky” by Philip Scott Poli (12)
19. “Election Year Rag” by Michael and Nell (12)
19. “Keep the River on the Right” by Kristen Grainger and True North (12)
22. “Sweet October” by Aoife Scott (11)
22. “Haunted House” by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (11)
22. “The Little Things” by Dirk Powell (11)
22. “Down Yonder” by Doc and Merle Watson (11)

Top Artists of October 2020

1. Doc and Merle Watson (93)
2. John Prine (82)
2. Gillian Welch (82)
4. Jerry Jeff Walker (78)
5. Tim Grimm (74)
6. Gathering Time (66)
7. Susan Werner (64)
8. Phil Henry (62)
9. John McCutcheon (61)
10. Eliza Gilkyson (59)
11. Scott Cook (58)
11. Christine Lavin (58)
13. Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (53)
14. Raye Zaragoza (52)
14. Susan Pepper (52)
16. Molly Tuttle (49)
17. Kronos Quartet (48)
18. Kristen Grainger and True North (47)
18. Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche (47)
20. Chris Smither (46)
21. Sarah Jarosz (45)
21. Dirk Powell (45)
23. Cej (44)
24. Bob Dylan (42)
24. The Avett Brothers (42)
26. Loudon Wainwright Iii (40)
27. Mary Chapin Carpenter (39)
28. Matthew Alexander (38)
28. Pharis and Jason Romero (38)
30. Justin Farren (36)
30. Lori McKenna (36)
30. James Lee Baker (36)
30. Donal Hinely (36)
34. Appalachian Road Show (35)
35. Pete Seeger (34)
36. Mike Craver (31)
36. George Mann (31)
38. Jane Godfrey (30)
38. Rachel Garlin (30)
38. Emily Barker (30)