Nanci Griffith was the most-played artist and had five of the 10 most-played songs on folk radio during August 2021, while Jackson Browne’s Downhill From Everywhere was the month’s top album. 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.
A Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose music straddled the line between folk and country, Griffith died on August 13 at age 68. She was best known for her colorful, narrative tales of small town life that she sang in her warm, crystalline pure voice with a Texas twang — many of which were covered and recorded by other artists. “Love at the Five and Dime,” perhaps Griffith’s best-known song and the top song on folk radio in August, was a country hit for Kathy Mattea 25 years ago Honored by the Americana Music Association with its Lifetime Americana Trailblazer Award in 2008, Griffith released her 18th and last studio album, Intersection, in 2012. Here’s a link to an article about her published by AcousticMusicScene.com on Aug. 16: http://acousticmusicscene.com/2021/08/16/remembering-nanci-griffith-1953-2021/
Downhill From Everywhere is the new studio release from Jackson Browne. A venerated songwriter and performer, who recorded his first album nearly five decades ago, Browne has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also a longtime environmental and social activist, who has been honored for his humanitarian efforts as well. “My Cleveland Heart,” the album’s first single, a co-write with Browne’s longtime guitarist Val McCallum, was the most-played song on folk radio in June.
[Here’s a link to listen to the title track of Jackson Browne’s Downhill From Everywhere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxbB9EWM-Ks.]
The August 2021 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 14,725 airplays reported on 492 playlists submitted by 123 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.
Folk Alliance International (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 August 2021
1. Downhill From Everywhere by Jackson Browne (109)
2. A Better Day A-Coming by Robin and Linda Williams (98)
3. Song to a Refugee by Diana Jones (92)
4. Sober Again by Jackson Grimm (84)
5. Come Around by Rob Lutes (80)
6. Other Voices, Other Rooms by Nanci Griffith (77)
7. Why Wait! by Kate Taylor (75)
8. The Canvas Before Us by Joy Zimmerman (62)
9. Cold Rain and Snow by Jared Rabin (57)
10. Borrowed Time by Joe Troop (54)
10. Until Now by Carrie Newcomer (54)
12. Sun and Moon by Trevor Tchir (52)
13. Watchhouse by Watchhouse (51)
14. Hourglass by Murray McLauchlan (46)
14. Depreciated by John R. Miller (46)
16. Grit and Polish by Mark Schatz and Bryan Mc Dowell (44)
17. Chimney Swifts by Brad Kolodner (43)
18. Uppity by Laura Love (41)
19. I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself by Colin Hay (40)
19. One Fair Summer Evening by Nanci Griffith (40)
21. Eden and Her Borderlands by Anya Hinkle (37)
21. Oh Everything by Annie Gallup (37)
21. Never Found a Way to Tame the Blues by Jon Shain and Fj Ventre (37)
24. Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back To Bountiful) by Nanci Griffith (35)
25. Last of the Better Days Ahead by Charlie Parr (34)
26. We Can Hear Each Other by Erin Ash Sullivan (33)
27. I Am of Ireland: Yeats in Song by Various Artists (32)
28. Through the Smoke by Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs (31)
28. Time Out Session 1 by The Accidentals (31)
30. Let’s Get Away by Kalinec and Kj (29)
30. The Last of the True Believers by Nanci Griffith (29)
30. Streamliner by Jesse Brock (29)
30. Light and Dark by Chris Ronald (29)
34. Ballad of a Bad Girl by Kate McDonnell (28)
34. Outside Child by Allison Russell (28)
34. Be Ready When I Call You by Guy Davis (28)
37. Whitesburg KY by Brett Ratliff (27)
38. Lone Star State of Mind by Nanci Griffith (26)
38. He Walked On by Tim O’Brien (26)
40. Don’t You Marry No Railroad Man by JP Harris’ Dreadful Wind and Rain
(25)
40. Undertaker’s Songbook by Sons of the Never Wrong (25)
42. How I Hear It by Jeremy Stephens (24)
42. Triage by Rodney Crowell (24)
42. There Used to Be Horses Here by Amy Speace and the Orphan Brigade (24)
42. Stand for Myself by Yola (24)
42. The Best Medicine by Kate Howard (24)
47. Tricks of the Trade by Malcolm Holcombe (23)
48. New Century Suite by Michael J. Miles (21)
48. You Don’t Really Know Me by Tim Easton (21)
48. The River Flows Vol. 2 by John Hurlbut and Jorma Kaukonen (21)
51. On Solid Ground by Reggie Harris (20)
51. Once in a Very Blue Moon by Nanci Griffith (20)
51. Treasure of Love by The Flatlanders (20)
54. From a Distance – The Very Best of Nanci Griffith by Nanci Griffith
(19)
55. They’re Calling Me Home by Rhiannon Giddens (18)
55. First Time Feeling by Leah Blevins (18)
55. Vladimir and Irene by David Potts-Dupre (18)
55. Pilgrim’s Progress Project 5.5 by Terri Hendrix (18)
55. Storms by Nanci Griffith (18)
55. Winter Marquee by Nanci Griffith (18)
55. 662 by Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (18)
55. Our Better Angels by Jesse Palidofsky (18)
55. Echo Land by Bumarang (18)
64. Intersection by Nanci Griffith (17)
64. Changemakers by Crys Matthews (17)
64. Gone by Tim Grimm (17)
64. Madison Archives by Frank Evans and Ben Plotnick (17)
64. We Shall Stay Here by Paul Kaplan (17)
69. Wild Beat the Wings by John Flynn (16)
70. First Farewell by Peggy Seeger (15)
70. The Loving Kind by Nanci Griffith (15)
70. Never Too Late to Call by Paul Thorn (15)
70. Timeless by Wood Family Tradition (15)
70. Red Maple Tree by Sloan Wainwright (15)
70. Jake Eddy by Jake Eddy (15)
Top Songs of August 2021
[Here’s a link to listen to Nanci Griffith’s recording of “Love at the Five and Dime,” the month’s most-played song on folk radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgGG61nQX0w]
1. “Love at the Five and Dime” by Nanci Griffith (31)
2. “A Human Touch” by Jackson Browne (21)
3. “Listen to the Radio” by Nanci Griffith (20)
4. “From a Distance” by Nanci Griffith (19)
4. “A Better Day A-Coming” by Robin and Linda Williams (19)
6. “Speed at the Sound of Loneliness” by Nanci Griffith (18)
6. “Angels of Our Better Nature” by Cosy Sheridan (18)
6. “It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go” by Nanci Griffith (18)
6. “Heart of Nat Turner” by Laura Love (18)
10. “We Believe You” by Diana Jones (17)
10. “Until Justice Is Real” by Jackson Browne (17)
10. “That Bird Has My Wings” by Rob Lutes (17)
13. “The Dreamer” by Jackson Browne (16)
14. “Magic Saved Me” by Annie Gallup (15)
14. “Love Along the Way” by Joe Troop (15)
16. “He Caught the Katy” by Kate Taylor (14)
16. “Once in a Very Blue Moon” by Nanci Griffith (14)
16. “A Little Soon to Say” by Jackson Browne (14)
16. “Good Day Sunshine” by Kate Taylor (14)
20. “At My Feet” by Jackson Grimm (13)
20. “Pandemic Blues” by Murray McLauchlan (13)
20. “Iron Mountain” by Trevor Tchir (13)
20. “Tower of Song” by Robin and Linda Williams (13)
20. “Across the Great Divide” by Nanci Griffith (13)
25. “Someday and Sometime” by Robin and Linda Williams (12)
25. “Why Wait!” by Kate Taylor (12)
25. “Little Rock Canyon” by Jackson Grimm (12)
Top Artists of August 2021
1. Nanci Griffith (449)
2. Jackson Browne (118)
3. Robin and Linda Williams (102)
4. Diana Jones (97)
5. Jackson Grimm (84)
6. Rob Lutes (82)
7. Kate Taylor (79)
8. Tom T. Hall (68)
9. Joy Zimmerman (62)
10. Carrie Newcomer (59)
11. Jared Rabin (57)
12. Joe Troop (54)
13. Trevor Tchir (53)
14. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (52)
15. Watchhouse (51)
16. Bob Dylan (49)
17. Murray McLauchlan (48)
18. Mark Schatz and Bryan Mc Dowell (47)
19. John R. Miller (46)
20. Brad Kolodner (45)
20. Laura Love (45)
22. Colin Hay (42)
23. Annie Gallup (41)
24. Charlie Parr (39)
25. Jon Shain and Fj Ventre (38)
25. The Everly Brothers (38)
25. Anya Hinkle (38)
28. Tim O’Brien (36)
29. Cosy Sheridan (35)
30. John McCutcheon (34)
31. Guy Davis (33)
31. Erin Ash Sullivan (33)
31. The Accidentals (33)
34. Chris Ronald (31)
34. Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs (31)
34. Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (31)
37. Dar Williams (30)
37. John Prine (30)
37. Sons of the Never Wrong (30)
40. Kate McDonnell (29)
40. Kalinec and Kj (29)
40. Stan Rogers (29)
40. Allison Russell (29)
40. Pete Seeger (29)
40. Della Mae (29)
40. Joel Mabus (29)
40. Jesse Brock (29)
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