AcousticMusicScene.com is pleased to publish the monthly Top Albums and Songs 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. In December 2011, Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays, a compilation prepared by singer-songwriter and radio promoter Erik Balkey and featuring seasonal songs by various artists, topped the albums chart and also sported three of the top 10 songs. Peter Mayer’s “Christmas Morning” was reportedly the most played song on folk radio during December.

The December 2011 charts are based on 13,243 airplays from 144 different DJs. The number of spins (airplay) is shown in parentheses.

Top Albums of December 2011

1: “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays,” Various Artists
[Hudson Harding, new] (102)
“Broken And Beautiful,” Joe Crookston
“Answer The Knock At The Door,” Zoe Mulford
“Silent Night,” Abbie Gardner And Laurie MacAllister
“Redpoll,” Dana Robinson
“Sleep Through Christmas,” Pat Wictor
2: “Midwinter,” Peter Mayer [Blue Boat, 2005] (80)
“Christmas Morning”
“Where Is The Light”
“Green”
“Houses Of Winter”
“Longest Night”
3: “Just One Angel,” Christine Lavin And Friends [Yellow Tail, 12/10] (68)
“Jewish Kid Born On Christmas Day Talkin’ Blues,” Sally Fingerett
“Is It Hanukah Or Chanukah?,” Ruby And Ava Locknar
“Christmas On Mars,” Roy Zimmerman
4: “This Land: Woody Guthrie’s America,” John McCutcheon
[Appalsongs, 11/11] (66)
“Biggest Thing That Man Has Ever Done”
“This Land Is Your Land”
“This Morning I Was Born Again”
“Howjadoo”
5: “Light In The Sky,” Red Molly [redmolly.com, 10/11] (58)
“Walk Beside Me”
“Hello Goodbye”
“It’s Too Late To Call It A Night”
6: “Fogarty’s Cove,” Stan Rogers [Fogarty’s Cove, 1976] (45)
“Maid On The Shore”
“Make And Break Harbour”
“Fisherman’s Wharf”
7: “Appellation D’origine Controlee,” La Bottine Souriante
[Borealis, 11/11] (44)
“Reel A Roland”
“Cette Bouteille-La”
“Reel Calgary”
8: “Gift Of The Magi,” Darryl Purpose [darrylpurpose.com, 2002] (41)
“You Must Go Home For Christmas”
“American Noel”
“Christians And The Pagans”
9: “Winter’s Grace,” Laurie Lewis And Tom Rozum [Signature, 1999] (39)
“If We Make It Through December”
“Hot Buttered Rum”
“Christmas Time’s A Comin”
10: “American Noel,” Dave Carter And Tracy Grammer [Signature, 2007] (38)
“American Noel”
“Giddyup Said Santa Claus”
“Go Tell The Fox”
11: “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 1: Happy Holidays,” Various Artists
[Hudson Harding, 2006] (36)
“Christmas Cards,” Dave Potts
“Count Your Blessings,” Cary Cooper
“Happy Holidays,” Amy Speace
12: “Everything Is Everywhere,” Carrie Newcomer [Available Light, 11/11] (35)
“I Believe”
“Breathe In Breathe Out”
“May We Be Released”
12: “The Harrow And The Harvest,” Gillian Welch [Acony, 6/11] (35)
“6 White Horses”
“Way It Goes”
“Hard Times”
14: “Row Upon Row Of The People They Know,” The Once [Borealis, 10/11] (33)
“Song For Memory”
“Jack The Sailor”
“You’re My Best Friend”
15: “Come Darkness, Come Light,” Mary Chapin Carpenter [Zoe, 2008] (32)
“Longest Night Of The Year”
“Christmas Time In The City”
“Come Darkness, Come Light”
15: “Mesabi,” Tom Russell [Shout Factory, 9/11] (32)
“When The Legends Die”
“Mesabi”
“Heart Within A Heart”
17: “An Appalachian Christmas,” Mark O’Connor [OMAC, 9/11] (31)
“Ol’ Blue”
“Slumber My Darling”
18: “A Passing Glimpse,” Pharis And Jason Romero [Lula, 7/11] (30)
“Forsaken Love”
“Lay Down In Sorrow”
18: “The Road Is Dark,” Michael Jerome Browne [Borealis, 11/11] (30)
“G20 Rag”
“Doin’ My Time”
“Graveyard Blues”
18: “A Skaggs Family Christmas,” Various Artists [Skaggs Family, 2005] (30)
“First Noel,” Skaggs Family
“Children Go,” Ricky Skaggs And The Whites
18: “Winterbloom,” Duvekot, Heaton, Hutchinson, Zukerman
[winterbloom.com, 2009] (30)
“Thanks For The Roses”
“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
“Stille Nacht”
22: “Human Writes,” Murray McLauchlan [True North, 11/11] (28)
“Sunshine And Shadow”
“Start Again”
“Bad Times”
22: “Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration,” Various Artists
[Signature, 2001] (28)
“River,” Peter Mulvey
“Song For A Winter Night,” Erica Wheeler
“Tree,” Jim Henry
24: “Lay Down My Burden,” Grant Dermody [grantdermody.com, 11/11] (27)
“Evening Train”
“I’ll Be Alright”
“It’s My Soul”
25: “Promised Land,” Gina Forsyth [Waterbug, new] (26)
“Christmas In China”
“Promised Land”
25: “Skippin’ And Flyin’,” Laurie Lewis [Spruce And Maple, 10/11] (26)
“Lonesome Road”
“American Chestnuts”
27: “Paper Airplane,” Alison Krauss And Union Station [Rounder, 4/11] (25)
“My Love Follows You Where You Go”
“Dimming Of The Day”
“Lay My Burden Down”
27: “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 3: Happy Holidays,” Various Artists
[Hudson Harding, 2008] (25)
“First Christmas Eve,” Tom Kimmel
“He Was Born,” Janet Bates
“Rudolph Rap,” Randall Williams
29: “Two Nights In Texas,” Kate Campbell [Large River, 9/11] (24)
“Free World”
“Jesus And Tomatoes”
30: “Perfect Storm,” Dan Crary And Thunderation [Blue Night, 7/11] (23)
“Tumbleweed Town”
“Muley Was A Railroad Man”
30: “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 5: Happy Holidays,” Various Artists
[Hudson Harding, 12/10] (23)
“Beside The Tree,” Craig Werth
“Christmas On Mission Street,” Erik Balkey
32: “The First Christmas Gift,” Robin And Linda Williams [Red House, 2005] (22)
“Shotgun Shells On A Christmas Tree”
“On A Quiet Christmas Morn”
32: “The Man From Arctic Circle,” Jody Marshall [jodymarshall.net, new] (22)
“Cyber Wonderland”
“Christmastime For The Kitties”
32: “Songs From Yeats’ Bee-Loud Glade,” Kyle Alden [kylealden.com, 9/11] (22)
“Brown Penny”
“Running To Paradise”
35: “The Horse King,” Cosy Sheridan [Waterbug, 10/11] (21)
“Keep Your Overhead Low”
“Angels In Rome”
35: “That’s How We Run,” April Verch [Slab Town, 6/11] (21)
“Lazy John”
“Guide Me Home”
35: “Voices Of Winter,” Herdman, Hills And Mangsen [Gadfly, 1997] (21)
“Hanerot Halalu”
“Wintergrace”
38: “Darkling & The Bluebird Jubilee,” Joe Crookston [Milagrito, 3/11] (20)
“I Sing”
“Caitlin At The Window”
38: “The Famous Rocket Cage,” Donal Hinely [Atom, 5/11] (20)
“The Famous Rocket Cage”
“When The Shouting Is Over”
38: “Past Perfect,” Steve Spurgin [Blue Night, 4/11] (20)
“Song For A Winter’s Night”
“Kodak 1955”
38: “Rare Bird Alert,” Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers
[Rounder, 3/11] (20)
“More Bad Weather On The Way”
“Atheists Don’t Have No Songs”
38: “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 4: Happy Holidays,” Various Artists
[Hudson Harding, 2009] (20)
“We Need A Little Christmas,” Abbie Gardner And Anthony Da Costa
43: “How Like The Holly,” Joel Mabus [Fossil, 1999] (19)
“How Like The Holly”
“Children Go Where I Send Thee”
“Let’s Do Christmas Right”
43: “Lifeboats For Atlantis,” Heather Styka [Kite Stripe, 10/11] (19)
“Crosswords”
“Tightrope Walker”
43: “Nest,” Rebecca Zapen [Bashert, 11/11] (19)
“Beautiful Love Songs Without The Love”
“Colorado”
46: “Brother Sun,” Brother Sun [World Wide, 2/11] (18)
“Sister Moon”
“Come With Me”
46: “Song Of Solstice,” Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra
[oceanorchestra.com, 12/10] (18)
“Song Of Solstice”
“People, Look East”
46: “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 2: Happy Holidays,” Various Artists
[Hudson Harding, 2007] (18)
“Christmas Tree On Salem Street,” Arlon Bennett
“Long Walk Home,” Jud Caswell
49: “Bad Man’s Blood,” Ray Bonneville [Red House, 8/11] (17)
“Mississippi”
“Night Walker”
49: “Broken Places,” Meg Braun [megbraun.com, 10/11] (17)
“All Along”
“Open Road”
49: “Friends Of Fall,” Crooked Still [Signature, 10/11] (17)
“It’ll End Too Soon”
“When Sorrows Encompass Me ’round”
49: “A Midwinter Night’s Dream,” Loreena McKennitt [Quinlan Road, 2008] (17)
“Good King Wenceslas”
49: “Shadow And Light,” John Doyle [Compass, 9/11] (17)
“Little Sparrow”
49: “Silver Wood: Wintersongs,” Krista Detor [Tightrope, 2008] (17)
“Awake The Voice”
“Christmas In London”
49: “Sugar Plums,” Various Artists [Sugar Hill, 1993] (17)
“Christmas Lullaby,” Doc Watson
“That White Christmas Song,” Red Knuckles And The Trailblazers
49: “Triptych,” Triptych [triptychtrad.com, new] (17)
“Rise Ye Lazy Fellow”
“Moving On Song”
49: “Weiss Christmas,” Ilene Weiss [Gadfly, 1997] (17)
“It’s That Time Again”
“His Initials”
58: “At The Turning Of The Year,” Herdman, Hills And Mangsen [Hand
And Heart, 2000] (16)
“Solstice Round”
“Corn, Water And Wood”
58: “Christmas,” Bruce Cockburn [Columbia, 1998] (16)
“Mary Had A Baby”
“I Saw 3 Ships”
58: “Follow Me Down,” Sarah Jarosz [Sugar Hill, 5/11] (16)
“Old Smitty”
“Peace”
58: “Help My Brother,” Gibson Brothers [Compass, 2/11] (16)
“Help My Brother”
58: “The Holly And The Ivy,” Sandy Haddon [Self, new] (16)
“The Holly And The Ivy”
58: “O Christmas Tree,” Various Artists [Rounder, 2002] (16)
“Go Tell It On The Mountain,” Cox Family
58: “Out Of The Green,” Tim Readman And Jennie Bice [Big City, 10/11] (16)
“Cobbler And The Butcher”
“Winter Song”
58: “Revolutions Per Minute,” Emma’s Revolution [Moving Forward, 11/11] (16)
“Occupy The Usa”
58: “Still Beneath the Stars and Moon,” Bill And Kate Isles
[billisles.com, 11/11] (16)
“Public Radio”
“Beautiful Skies”
67: “Beat The Devil And Carry A Rail,” Noam Pikelny [Compass, 10/11] (15)
“Fish And Bird”
67: “Birds Of A Feather,” Red Hen Stringband [Wepecket Island, 6/11] (15)
“Blue Yodel #3”
67: “Get Your Phil,” Disappear Fear [disappearfear.com, 7/11] (15)
“I Ain’t Marching Anymore”
“When I’m Gone”
67: “Line-Up,” Battlefield Band [Temple, 7/11] (15)
“Lovers And Friends”
67: “Middle Of Everywhere,” Pokey Lafarge And The South City Three
[Free Dirt, 7/11] (15)
“Coffee Pot Blues”
67: “On The Brooklyn Road,” Nell Robinson [nellrobinsonmusic.com, 6/11] (15)
“Red Clay Creek”
“Sweet Sunny South”
67: “Peacenick,” Roy Zimmerman [Metaphor, 2005] (15)
“Christma-Hanu-Rama-Ka-Dona-Kwaanza”
“Buy War Toys For Christmas”
67: “Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down,” Ry Cooder [Nonesuch, 8/11] (15)
“John Lee Hooker For President”
“Christmas Time This Year”
“No Banker Left Behind”
67: “Songs Of Joy And Peace,” Various Artists [Sony, 2008] (15)
“Christmas Jig/Mouth Of The Tobique Reel,” Yo-Yo Ma W/ Natalie MacMaster


Top Songs of December 2011

Here’s a link to a YouTube video of Zoe Mulford’s “Answer the Knock at the Door” from the Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays.

1. “Christmas Morning” (25)
by Peter Mayer
from “Midwinter”
2. “American Noel” (21)
by Dave Carter And Tracy Grammer
from “American Noel”
also “Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration”
3. “Broken And Beautiful” (18)
by Joe Crookston
from “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays”
3. “Christmas In The Trenches” (18)
by John McCutcheon
from “Live At Wolf Trap”
also “Winter Solstice”
5. “Christians And The Pagans” (17)
by Dar Williams
from “Mortal City”
also “Many Great Companions”
6. “Answer The Knock At The Door” (16)
by Zoe Mulford
from “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays”
6. “On Christmas I Got Nothing” (16)
by Chuck Brodsky
from “Radio”
also “Two Sets”
8. “Christmas In China” (14)
by Gina Forsyth
from “Promised Land”
8. “You Cannot Stay Here” (14)
by Donna Ulisse
from “You Cannot Stay Here”
10. “Getting Ready For Christmas Day” (12)
by Paul Simon
from “So Beautiful Or So What”
10. “If We Make It Through December” (12)
by Laurie Lewis And Tom Rozum
from “Winter’s Grace”
10. “Jewish Kid Born On Christmas Day Talkin’ Blues” (12)
by Sally Fingerett
from “Just One Angel”
10. “Reel A Roland” (12)
by La Bottine Souriante
from “Appellation D’origine Controlee”
10. “Regifting Your Love” (12)
by Robert Bobby
from “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays”
10. “River” (12)
by Joni Mitchell
from “Blue”
also “Hits”
10. “You Must Go Home For Christmas” (12)
by Darryl Purpose
from “Gift Of The Magi”
17. “Solstice Song” (11)
by Denise Jordan Finley
from “Solstice”
also “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 3: Happy Holidays”
17. “Thanks For The Roses” (11)
by Duvekot, Heaton, Hutchinson, Zukerman
from “Winterbloom”
17. “This Morning I Was Born Again” (11)
by John McCutcheon
from “This Land: Woody Guthrie’s America”
17. “Where Is The Light” (11)
by Peter Mayer
from “Midwinter”
21. “Beside The Tree” (10)
by Craig Werth
from “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 5: Happy Holidays”
21. “Christmas In Paradise” (10)
by Mary Gauthier
from “Filth And Fire”
21. “Light The Lamp” (10)
by Emily Kurn
from “I’m Just Like You”
21. “Longest Night Of The Year” (10)
by Mary Chapin Carpenter
from “Come Darkness, Come Light”
21. “Make My Christmas Day” (10)
by Peter Mayer
from “Midwinter”
21. “Merry Christmas From The Family” (10)
by Robert Earl Keen
from “Gringo Honeymoon”
21. “Silent Night” (10)
by Abbie Gardner And Laurie MacAllister
from “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays”
21. “Sleep Through Christmas” (10)
by Pat Wictor
from “Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 6: Happy Holidays”
21. “You Will Be Delivered” (10)
by Donna Ulisse
from “Ep”