Folk DJ Radio Airplay Charts – November 2019

The Early Risers had the top album (Making Life Sweet) and the three most-played songs on folk radio during November 2019. Renowned folksinger-songwriter Si Kahn, whose albums have previously topped the charts, edged out the New England-based duo of Putnam Smith and Ashley Storrow for the month’s most-played artist and had the second most-played album (Best of the Rest). 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.

Making Life Sweet is the debut release by The Early Risers, a Vermont-based folk duo whose rootsy and lyrical original songs feature close vocal harmonies and arrangements on an array of instruments – including banjo, guitar, mandolin, piano, and shruti box. “This Changes Everything,” “Red Bird,” and the album’s title track were the top three songs on folk radio in November. Smith and Storrow — both formerly from Maine — came together as The Early Risers in 2015 after pursuing solo careers and have since toured across North America. Accompanying the musical duo on the recording are April Reed-Cox and Seth Yentes on cello, Zak Trojano on percussion, Steve Cady on upright bass, and Emily Mure on oboe and harmony vocals.

The November 2019 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 13,738 airplays reported on 518 playlists submitted by 120 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 November 2019

1. Making Life Sweet by The Early Risers (122)
2. Best of the Rest by Si Kahn (112)
3. Heroes and Sparrows by Kevin Brown (77)
4. If I Catch My Dream by Bett Padgett (64)
5. Wahoo! by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (56)
6. Lines and Spaces by Heather Pierson (52)
7. Today Again by Fred Arcoleo (50)
7. Bones and Gravity by Lizanne Knott (50)
9. Greening the Dark by Debra Cowan (48)
10. Fair Play to You All by Tommy Sands (43)
10. All That’s Real by Gathering Sparks (43)
12. Straight to Marrow by Clint Alphin (41)
13. Up Against the Sky by Dave Gunning (39)
14. Heart Land Again by Tim Grimm (38)
15. Going to the Well by Linda McRae (37)
16. Wildwood by Katie Dahl (36)
17. Every Single Star by Dori Freeman (35)
17. Assiniboine and the Red by The Small Glories (35)
17. How We Want to Live by Lisa Bastoni (35)
17. Words of Love by Allison Lupton (35)
21. Rearrange My Heart by Che Apalache (33)
21. Honest by Ordinary Elephant (33)
21. If You Fall by Jaime Michaels (33)
24. Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) by Various
Artists (32)
24. Old Ghosts and Lost Causes by Helene Cronin (32)
26. These Old Hands by Crys Matthews (31)
26. The Best of Christine Lavin by Christine Lavin (31)
26. Heather Down the Moor by Gatehouse (31)
29. Visions by Alice Howe (30)
29. While I’m Livin by Tanya Tucker (30)
31. Mama’s Biscuits by Kirby Heard (29)
31. Redemption 10: Live at Blue Rock by Libby Koch (29)
33. My Dony by Grant Dermody (28)
33. Wonderful Fairytale by Bill Jones (28)
33. Come on Up to the House – Women Sing Waits by Various Artists (28)
36. Due to the Darkness by The Gossamer Strings (27)
36. Catching Rain by Peter Mayer (27)
38. Unfortunate Point of View by Katherine Rondeau (26)
38. Travelin’ Thru: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15, 1967-1969 by Various (26)
40. Oklahoma by Keb’ Mo’ (25)
40. No Ceiling by Dick Weismass (25)
42. Acorns by Ben Winship (24)
42. The Storyteller’s Suitcase by Ellis Paul (24)
42. Gonna Love Anyway by Louisa Branscomb (24)
42. Home by Billy Strings (24)
42. Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne by Amy Speace (24)
47. Sketches by Natalie Macmaster (23)
47. Winter Stories by Judy Collins and Jonas Fjeld (23)
47. Even the Sparrow by Kelly Hunt (23)
50. World Full of Blues by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley (22)
50. That We Could Find a Way to Be by Andrew Vannorstrand (22)
52. Hush the Wild Horses by Rachel Harrington (21)
52. Chasing the Sun by Bobtown (21)
52. Resurrection by Kinky Friedman (21)
52. Talk to a Human by Terri Hendrix (21)
52. Walls of Time by Mike Block (21)
52. Songs of Our Native Daughters by Our Native Daughters (21)
58. When They Fall by Annie and Rod Capps (20)
58. Medicine for Living by Alexa Rose (20)
58. Tall Fiddler by Michael Cleveland (20)
61. Sunshine Is Free by Monica Rizzio (19)
61. Leylines by Rising Appalachia (19)
61. Adobe Road by Cej (19)
61. Pharmakon by Humbird (19)
61. Songs for the Book of Life by Ron Israel (19)
66. Wrestling With the Mystery by Nick Nace (18)
66. Blood by Allison Moorer (18)
66. Breaking in Lonesome by Rick Faris (18)
66. Rings Around Saturn by Marion Halliday (18)
70. Shades of Blue by Lynne Taylor (17)
70. Crowing Ignites by Bruce Cockburn (17)
70. Charlie Parr by Charlie Parr (17)
70. Rifles and Rosary Beads by Mary Gauthier (17)
70. Is It the Kiss by Ana Egge (17)
70. Coyote by Catherine Maclellan (17)

Top Songs of November 2019

Here’s a link to view a video of The Early Risers performing “Making Life Sweet,” the title track of the duo’s October 2019 debut release:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkmbZxHDWYM

1. “This Changes Everything” by The Early Risers (19)
1. “Red Bird” by The Early Risers (19)
3. “Making Life Sweet” by The Early Risers (17)
4. “The Distant Lights of Nowhere” by Kevin Brown (15)
5. “These Old Hands” by Crys Matthews (14)
5. “Bless Your Heart” by Clint Alphin (14)
5. “Down on the Merrimack River” by Si Kahn (14)
8. “Scarecrow” by Debra Cowan (13)
8. “The Dreamer” by Che Apalache (13)
10. “Thanksgiving” by Ron Israel (12)
10. “The Old Changing Way” by Debra Cowan (12)
10. “Walking” by The Early Risers (12)
13. “Lines and Spaces” by Heather Pierson (11)
13. “When I’m Gone” by Fred Arcoleo (11)
13. “The Old Front Porch” by Bett Padgett (11)
13. “High on a Mountain” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (11)
13. “Jump Up Ginger” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (11)
13. “My Town” by The Early Risers (11)
19. “World Full of Blues” by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley (10)
19. “Shades of Blue” by Lynne Taylor (10)
19. “When I Go Out at Night” by Kevin Brown (10)
19. “Rearrange My Heart” by Che Apalache (10)
19. “Jenny & James” by Ordinary Elephant (10)
19. “The Unconquerable Past” by Stephen Fearing (10)
19. “What Will I Dream” by Allison Lupton (10)
19. “For Goodness Sake” by Kevin Brown (10)
19. “Hurricane” by Lizanne Knott (10)
19. “Snowing on Raton” by Jaime Michaels (10)
19. “Darling Corey” by The Early Risers (10)
19. “To Hear Doc Watson Play” by Si Kahn (10)
19. “Northwest Passage” by Judy Collins and Jonas Fjeld (10)

Top Artists of November 2019

1. Si Kahn (123)
2. The Early Risers (122)
3. Kevin Brown (77)
4. Bett Padgett (65)
5. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (58)
6. Debra Cowan (56)
7. Heather Pierson (53)
8. Lizanne Knott (50)
8. Fred Arcoleo (50)
10. Tim Grimm (49)
11. Bob Dylan (48)
12. Tommy Sands (46)
13. Gathering Sparks (45)
14. Jaime Michaels (43)
15. Clint Alphin (41)
16. Ben Winship (40)
17. Dave Gunning (39)
17. Dori Freeman (39)
19. Katie Dahl (38)
19. The Small Glories (38)
19. Linda McRae (38)
22. Gordon Lightfoot (37)
22. Christine Lavin (37)
22. Che Apalache (37)
25. Ordinary Elephant (36)
26. Lisa Bastoni (35)
26. Allison Lupton (35)
28. John McCutcheon (33)
28. Crys Matthews (33)
28. Katherine Rondeau (33)
28. Gatehouse (33)
32. Peter Mayer (32)
32. Grant Dermody (32)
32. Leonard Cohen (32)
32. Helene Cronin (32)
36. Tim O’Brien (31)
37. John Gorka (30)
37. Libby Koch (30)
37. Terri Hendrix (30)
37. Tanya Tucker (30)
37. Alice Howe (30)