FAI Folk Radio Charts – April 2021

Peggy Seeger was the most-played artist and had the top album (First Farewell) on folk radio during April 2021, edging out Reggie Harris in both categories. Darryl Purpose’s rendition of Dave Carter’s “Gentle Arms of Eden” 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.

Seeger, who turns 86 next month, is an Anglo-American folksinger-songwriter, activist, multi-instrumentalist, and educator who has been living in the UK for more than 60 years. She is a half-sister of the late Seeger, the widow of Ewan MacColl, and stepmother of Kirsty MaColl. Reggie Harris is a singer-songwriter, storyteller and cultural ambassador who views himself as being on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire – sharing messages of joy, unity, tolerance and peace through music. Daryl Purpose is a singer-songwriter known for his narrative lyrical style and fingerstyle guitar playing. He’s also a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame.

The April 2021 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 12,912 airplays reported on 432 playlists submitted by 120 different folk 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 April 2021

1. First Farewell by Peggy Seeger (117)
2. On Solid Ground by Reggie Harris (112)
3. Changemakers by Crys Matthews (100)
4. Gone by Tim Grimm (89)
5. Just Causes by Noel Paul Stookey (66)
6. The Fray by John Smith (55)
7. Tapered Point of Stone by Eli West (49)
8. Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno by Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno (43)
8. Industrial Strength Bluegrass by Various Artists (43)
10. Evidence of Hope by Friction Farm (41)
11. Calla Lily by The Brother Brothers (39)
11. Just Over the Ridge by Lizzy Plotkin and Natalie Spears (39)
13. They’re Calling Me Home by Rhiannon Giddens (38)
13. Palms to Pines by Dave Richardson (38)
15. Jellyfish on the Moon by Lisa Jeanette (36)
16. Let’s Get Happy Together by Maria Muldaur (34)
17. Ellis Paul’s Traveling Medicine Show, Vol. 1 by Ellis Paul (31)
17. Still Woman Enough by Loretta Lynn (31)
19. These Times by Ron Israel (29)
20. Poets by Liz Simmons (28)
21. Boulevard by Rod MacDonald (27)
21. Old-Time Sweethearts – Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 by Various Artists (27)
23. + 1 by Mike Barnett (25)
23. When We Wander by Jesse Terry (25)
25. Solace in the Wild by Erin Ivey (24)
25. Looking for the Light by Christopher Mark Jones (24)
27. There Used to Be Horses Here by Amy Speace (23)
27. Stone by Stone by Tret Fure (23)
27. All the Good Times Are Past and Gone by Gillian Welch (23)
30. Between Here and There by Sarah Morris (22)
30. Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore by Rod Abernethy (22)
30. String of Pearls by Annabelle Chvostek (22)
33. Joyful Banner Blazing by Maria Dunn (21)
33. Hurricane by Danny Burns (21)
33. Hold the Line by Hardened and Tempered (21)
36. Karen Bella by Karen Bella (20)
37. We Go On: Si Kahn’s Songs of Hope in Hard Times by Katie Oates (19)
37. Daddy’s Country Gold by Melissa Carper (19)
37. The Midnight Broadcast by Peter Case (19)
40. When I Wait for You by Dirk Powell (18)
40. Distance and Time by Becky Buller (18)
40. Waterlines by Zoe Fitzgerald Carter (18)
43. Looking for Wonderland by Smithfield Fair (17)
43. Women in Color by Raye Zaragoza (17)
43. Illuminations by Sean Della Croce (17)
43. Deadstock: Uncollected Recordings 2005 =E2=80=93 2020 by Jeffery Foucault (17)
47. Parachute by Mandy Bowden (16)
47. Back to the Earth by Adam Hurt (16)
47. Bluegrass Troubadour by Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass (16)
47. Desert Ghosts by Jaspar Lepak (16)
51. Lost Songs by Terry Kitchen (15)
51. Mississippi River Suite by Michael J. Miles (15)
51. The Tree of Forgiveness by John Prine (15)
51. The Darkness and the Light by Mike Ward (15)
51. Wings by Zoe Speaks (15)
56. Tangle of Souls by Scott Cook (14)
56. Whispers and Sighs by David Olney and Anana Kaye (14)
56. The Painter by Michael Johnathon (14)
56. Annamania by Anna Elizabeth Laube (14)
56. Ghost Tattoo by Kristen Grainger and True North (14)
56. I’ll Be Back Soon by Tiffany Williams (14)
56. World on the Ground by Sarah Jarosz (14)
56. Simple Syrup by Sunny War (14)
64. Just Like Leaving by Bella White (13)
64. Bet on Love by Pharis and Jason Romero (13)
66. Working Woman by Grace Pettis (12)
66. Lamentations by Rupert Wates (12)
66. Fall Like Rain by Justin Moses (12)
66. Songs of 69 by Reid Jamieson (12)
66. The Ghost Light by Bob Bradshaw (12)

Top Songs of April 2021

1. “Gentle Arms of Eden” by Darryl Purpose (31)
2. “In These Times” by Noel Paul Stookey (28)
3. “Exactly Where You Are” by Crys Matthews (24)
4. “The Invisible Woman” by Peggy Seeger (23)
5. “How I Long for Peace” by Peggy Seeger (22)
5. “Hello in There” by Reggie Harris (22)
7. “All the Best” by Erik Balkey (20)
8. “25 Trees” by Tim Grimm (17)
9. “On the Road Again” by The Brother Brothers (16)
9. “On Solid Ground” by Reggie Harris (16)
11. “The Earth Has Had Enough” by Zoe Speaks (15)
11. “It’s Who We Are” by Reggie Harris (15)
13. “A Dream” by Tim Grimm (14)
13. “Carry Us Away” by Tim Grimm (14)
13. “All in the Mind” by Peggy Seeger (14)
13. “Gotta Get Home by Midnight” by Peggy Seeger (14)
13. “Dandelion and Clover” by Peggy Seeger (14)
18. “Gone” by Tim Grimm (13)
18. “Dreaming of King Lear” by Tim Grimm (13)
18. “Not That Kind of Music” by Noel Paul Stookey (13)
21. “Brick in the Road” by Eli West (12)
22. “Changemakers” by Crys Matthews (11)
22. “Sing Out, March On… Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody” by Reggie Harris (11)
22. “A Toast to John Prine” by Dave Rowe (11)
22. “Born to Be With You” by Mike Barnett (11)

Top Artists of April 2021

1. Peggy Seeger (120)
2. Reggie Harris (113)
3. Crys Matthews (101)
4. Tim Grimm (96)
5. Noel Paul Stookey (76)
6. John Prine (73)
7. John Smith (62)
8. Eli West (51)
9. Pete Seeger (47)
10. John McCutcheon (46)
11. Gillian Welch (44)
11. Rhiannon Giddens (44)
13. Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno (43)
14. Friction Farm (42)
15. Loretta Lynn (41)
16. Ellis Paul (39)
16. Lisa Jeanette (39)
16. The Brother Brothers (39)
16. Maria Muldaur (39)
16. Lizzy Plotkin and Natalie Spears (39)
21. Dave Richardson (38)
21. Bob Dylan (38)
23. Darryl Purpose (32)
24. Joni Mitchell (31)
25. Ron Israel (30)
26. Mike Barnett (28)
26. Phil Ochs (28)
26. Liz Simmons (28)
29. Simon and Garfunkel (27)
29. Rod MacDonald (27)
31. Amy Speace (26)
32. Emmylou Harris (25)
32. Joan Baez (25)
32. Jesse Terry (25)
32. Katie Oates (25)
36. Sarah Morris (24)
36. Christopher Mark Jones (24)
36. Erin Ivey (24)
39. Tret Fure (23)
39. Sarah Jarosz (23)