Debra Cowan had the top album (Greening the Dark) and the three most-played songs on folk radio during October 2019. She also was the month’s most-played artist. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio.

A six-song EP, Greening the Dark, is Cowan’s sixth recording and her second collaboration with drummer Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson, Rosanne Cash) serving as arranger and producer. Cowan is a Massachusetts-based artist who performs a cappella and with guitar — interpreting a wide range of traditional and contemporary folk songs. “She sure knows how to interpret a song and wrap her soul and voice around it,” says veteran folk DJ Rich Warren, host of the nationally syndicated The Midnight Special that emanates from WFMT in Chicago, IL. A former middle school math teacher, Cowan also served as vice president of AFM Local 1000, the traveling musicians union, from 2011-2016.

The October 2019 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 14, 232 airplays reported on 535 playlists submitted by 126 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses. The charts are compiled by Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

The monthly top albums and songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of October 2019
Greenng the Dark album cover
1. Greening the Dark by Debra Cowan (107)
2. Up Against the Sky by Dave Gunning (82)
3. Wahoo! by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (78)
4. Bones and Gravity by Lizanne Knott (71)
5. Country Music – A Film by Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) by Various Artists (65)
5. Every Single Star by Dori Freeman (65)
7. All That’s Real by Gathering Sparks (62)
7. Going to the Well by Linda McRae (62)
9. Wildwood by Katie Dahl (58)
9. Words of Love by Allison Lupton (58)
11. Heart Land Again by Tim Grimm (53)
12. When They Fall by Annie and Rod Capps (51)
13. If You Fall by Jaime Michaels (50)
14. Due to the Darkness by The Gossamer Strings (47)
14. Straight to Marrow by Clint Alphin (47)
16. Rearrange My Heart by Che Apalache (45)
16. The Best of Christine Lavin by Christine Lavin (45)
18. Old Ghosts and Lost Causes by Helene Cronin (41)
19. Chasing the Sun by Bobtown (39)
19. The Storyteller’s Suitcase by Ellis Paul (39)
19. Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne by Amy Speace (39)
22. While I’m Livin by Tanya Tucker (38)
22. Talk to a Human by Terri Hendrix (38)
24. The Hard Stuff by Susan Gibson (37)
24. Gonna Love Anyway by Louisa Branscomb (37)
24. Adobe Road by Cej (37)
27. Fair Play to You All by Tommy Sands (36)
28. Crowing Ignites by Bruce Cockburn (34)
29. How We Want to Live by Lisa Bastoni (33)
29. The Lost Tapes by Ian and Sylvia (33)
29. Time and Tides by Susan and Ray (33)
32. Visions by Alice Howe (32)
33. Honest by Ordinary Elephant (31)
33. Assiniboine and the Red by The Small Glories (31)
35. Fires for the Cold by Jonah Tolchin (30)
36. Hush the Wild Horses by Rachel Harrington (28)
37. That We Could Find a Way to Be by Andrew Van Norstrand (27)
37. Tall Fiddler by Michael Cleveland (27)
37. Home by Billy Strings (27)
40. These Old Hands by Crys Matthews (26)
40. Moth Nor Rust Ii by Jon Brooks (26)
40. Conspirators by Guy Forsyth and Jeska Bailey (26)
40. Facets of Folk by Mara Levine (26)
40. October in the Railroad Earth by Tom Russell (26)
45. Leylines by Rising Appalachia (25)
45. White Noise, White Lines by Kelsey Waldon (25)
47. Ten: The Errant Night by Runa (24)
47. The Iron Trios by Laurel Premo (24)
47. Songs of Our Native Daughters by Our Native Daughters (24)
50. Who Asked You Back by Ella Harp (23)
50. Oklahoma by Keb’ Mo’ (23)
50. It’s a Hard Life by Ruby Lovett (23)
50. Every Trip Around the Sun by Sharon Goldman (23)
50. Steering Pete’s Course, Maritime Songs From the Seeger Songbag by The Rix (23)
55. My Dony by Grant Dermody (22)
55. Acoustic Rainbow Roots Volume 49 by Various Artists (22)
55. Charlie Parr by Charlie Parr (22)
55. Heather Down the Moor by Gatehouse (22)
59. How Far It Goes by The Refugees (21)
59. As I Go Ramblin’ Around by Nicholas Edward Williams (21)
59. Free and Fine by Jordi Baizan (21)
62. Paws of a Bear by Sofia Talvik (20)
62. The Bull Mountain Moonshiners’ Way by Jesse McReynolds and Friends (20)
62. Acorns by Ben Winship (20)
62. Unfortunate Point of View by Katherine Rondeau (20)
62. Fire Out of Stone by Chuck Hawthorne (20)
62. Even the Sparrow by Kelly Hunt (20)
68. June Is Short, July Is Long by Jeb Loy Nichols (19)
68. What Will We Do by Lula Wiles (19)
68. It’s a Dog’s Life by Si Kahn and the Looping Brothers (19)
68. Toolshed by Ben Winship (19)
68. Rings Around Saturn by Marion Halliday (19)
68. Rose Avenue by Joel Rafael (19)

Top Songs of October 2019

1. “The Old Changing Way” by Debra Cowan (29)
2. “Scarecrow” by Debra Cowan (21)
3. “Bones and Feathers” by Debra Cowan (19)
4. “Celebrate the Crop” by Dave Gunning (16)
4. “Walk Away” by Lizanne Knott (16)
6. “Answer Not Blowing in the Wind” by Tommy Sands (15)
7. “Man in the Bottom of the Well” by Linda McRae (14)
7. “Wahoo!” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (14)
7. “Straight to Marrow” by Clint Alphin (14)
7. “Polly on the Shore” by Debra Cowan (14)
11. “Muddy Waters” by Susan and Ray (13)
12. “Feathers and Wings” by Gathering Sparks (12)
12. “Triskaidekaphobia” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (12)
12. “Anna Dixie” by Debra Cowan (12)
12. “Hills of Greenmore” by Debra Cowan (12)
12. “What Will I Dream” by Allison Lupton (12)
17. “In the Time I Was Away” by Dave Gunning (11)
17. “All That’s Yet to Come” by Dave Gunning (11)
17. “(That Would Do) Some Good” by Annie and Rod Capps (11)
17. “All I Ever Wanted” by Dori Freeman (11)
17. “Ferris Wheel” by Dave Gunning (11)
17. “High on a Mountain” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (11)
17. “2 Step” by Dori Freeman (11)
17. “The Dreamer” by Che Apalache (11)
25. “All Brand New” by Cej (10)
25. “Darlin’ Boy” by Dori Freeman (10)
25. “The Liar Tweets Tonight” by Christine Lavin (10)
25. “American Girl” by Bobtown (10)
25. “I Will Rise” by Allison Lupton (10)
25. “Bones and Gravity” by Lizanne Knott (10)
25. “The Welcome Song” by Jan Aldridge Clark (10)
25. “Hurricane” by Lizanne Knott (10)

Top Artists of October 2019

Debra Cowan was the most-played artist and also had the top album and the three most-played songs on folk radio during October 2019.

Debra Cowan was the most-played artist and also had the top album and the three most-played songs on folk radio during October 2019.


1. Debra Cowan (112)
2. Dave Gunning (85)
2. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (85)
4. Lizanne Knott (71)
5. Tim Grimm (70)
6. Dori Freeman (66)
7. Christine Lavin (63)
7. Linda McRae (63)
9. Gathering Sparks (62)
10. Katie Dahl (58)
10. Allison Lupton (58)
12. John McCutcheon (52)
12. Annie and Rod Capps (52)
14. Jaime Michaels (51)
15. Clint Alphin (48)
15. Mara Levine (48)
17. The Gossamer Strings (47)
18. Che Apalache (46)
19. Cej (45)
20. Ellis Paul (43)
20. Amy Speace (43)
22. Helene Cronin (41)
23. Tom Russell (40)
23. Bobtown (40)
25. John Prine (39)
25. Terri Hendrix (39)
25. Bruce Cockburn (39)
25. Ben Winship (39)
25. Ian and Sylvia (39)
30. Tommy Sands (38)
30. Tanya Tucker (38)
32. Susan Gibson (37)
32. Louisa Branscomb (37)
34. Ordinary Elephant (36)
35. Michael Johnathon (34)
36. Billy Strings (33)
36. The Small Glories (33)
36. Lisa Bastoni (33)
36. Joel Mabus (33)
36. Susan and Ray (33)