Acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Karan Casey had the top album (Nine Apples of Gold), was the most-played artist on folk radio, and had four of the top 10 songs during March 2023, while Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy’s “Woman of the House” 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.

Karan Casey was the most-played artist and had the top album and four of the month's ten most-played songs on folk radio during March 2023.

Karan Casey was the most-played artist and had the top album and four of the month’s ten most-played songs on folk radio during March 2023.

In a career spanning nearly 30 years, Karan Casey has been a founding member of the Irish–American band Solas, toured widely throughout Europe and North America, released a dozen albums, and appeared on numerous other artists’ recordings. She has performed with such other notable artists as The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Bela Fleck, Karen Matheson, Tim O’Brien, Maura O’Connell, and James Taylor. A native of Waterford, Ireland, she lives in Cork with her husband Niall Vellely, an Irish concertina player.

A leading advocate for women’s empowerment, Casey’s commitment to helping female performers of Irish traditional and folk music achieve fairness and gender balance prompted her to co-found Fair Pie five years ago. It’s also the inspiration behind some of the songs on Nine Apples of Gold, which was released in late February.

[Here’s a link to enjoy the official video for ‘Nine Apples of Gold,” the title track of Karan Casey’s album and its first single: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAF1I1lrALc.]

“Woman of the House” appears on Canadian Celtic couple Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy’s latest album, Canvas, which was released in March. Sung in Scots Gaelic, the song also features guest artist Rhiannon Giddens. A fiery, world renowned fiddler and talented step-dancer, multiple Juno Award-winner Natalie MacMaster is among Cape Breton, Nova Scotia’s most notable musical exports, while her husband and musical collaborator Donnell Leahy is also a renowned fiddler recognized for his ability to synthesize traditional influences with more contemporary Celtic/folk sensibilities.

[Here’s a link to listen to “Woman of the House” by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFsR13T0pFw.]

Tim Grimm, an award-winning, southern Indiana-based folk-Americana singer-songwriter, was the month’s second most-played artist and had the #2 album (The Little In-Between) and song (“The Leaving”). A number of his albums and songs have reached the top of the FAI Folk Charts (formerly the Folk DJ Charts) and the EuroAmericana charts over the years.

[Here’s a link to listen to “The Leaving” by Tim Grimm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M0v6CMxIjY.]

The March 2023 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 12, 727 airplays reported on 428 playlists submitted by 120 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 March 2023
Karan Casey nine apples of gold
1. Nine Apples of Gold by Karan Casey (123)
2. The Little In-Between by Tim Grimm (108)
3. Crossing the Causeway by Mary Beth Carty (98)
4. Traveling Wildfire by Dom Flemons (81)
5. Canvas by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (73)
6. Workin’ on a World by Iris Dement (70)
7. Mighty Poplar by Mighty Poplar (60)
7. Hello World by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (60)
9. Sanctuary by Rebecca Folsom (57)
10. Taking Flight by Amelia Hogan (56)
11. Tumbleweedyworld by Lynn Miles (54)
12. March of the Mollusk by Benny Bleu (53)
13. Filament by Buddy Mondlock (46)
13. Together Through the Dark by Slaid Cleaves (46)
15. Outpourings by Craig Bickhardt (43)
16. Ridin’ by Eric Bibb (40)
16. CornMaiz String Band by CornMaiz String Band (40)
18. The Gaulway Ramblers by The Gaulway Ramblers (38)
19. Reckonings by Eric Kilburn (37)
19. Missouri Folklore: Songs and Stories From Home by My Politic (37)
21. Boomerang Town by Jaimee Harris (36)
22. Passages and Partings by April Verch and Cody Walters (35)
23. York’s Lament and Other Stories by Reggie Garrett (34)
24. It Goes Like It Goes by Bunny Barnes (32)
25. Not Far From the Tree by Just Us Lillys (31)
25. A Murder of Songs by Grant Peeples (31)
27. Handled With Care by Jason Lang (30)
27. Me|and|Dad by Billy Strings (30)
29. Lay Your Darkness Down by Mark Erelli (28)
29. Upstate Crossroads by Tim Ball (28)
29. Lovin’ of the Game by Michael Cleveland (28)
32. Snow White Memories by Irene Kelley (27)
32. Beyond the Great Pause by Doug Cox and Linda McRae (27)
34. Both Things Are True by Marilyn Jordan (25)
34. Songs You Didn’t Know I Wrote About You by Emily White (25)
36. OKX by The Ok Factor (24)
36. Circumstance by Alice Howe (24)
36. The Coming of the Years by Joe Jencks (24)
36. Riveter by Sami Braman (24)
40. The Old Man and the C Chord by Chris Coole (22)
40. Valley of Stars by Ben Bedford (22)
40. Bluegrass Vacation by Robbie Fulks (22)
43. Living in a Song by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley (21)
43. Love (And Other Mysteries) by Tipps and Obermiller (21)
45. Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen by Various Artists (20)
45. Common Nation of Sorrow by Rachel Baiman (20)
47. Landmarks by Helene Cronin (19)
47. Traditional by Dave Rudolf (19)
49. How Can I Say This? by Annie Capps (17)
49. The Very First Time by Steve and Kristi Nebel (17)
49. 1964 by Pat Guadagno (17)

Top Songs of March 2023

1. “Woman of the House” by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (24)
2. “The Leaving” by Tim Grimm (23)
3. “Workin’ on a World” by Iris Dement (22)
4. “The Rocks of Bawn” by Karan Casey (21)
5. “Up on the Divide” by Mighty Poplar (20)
6. “Sister I Am Here for You” by Karan Casey (19)
6. “Nine Apples of Gold” by Karan Casey (19)
8. “The Little In-Between” by Tim Grimm (18)
8. “Guess I’m Doing Fine” by Dom Flemons (18)
10. “When the Moon Gets Tangled” by Karan Casey (17)
11. “Tow Truck Song” by Mary Beth Carty (16)
12. “All of the Time in the World to Kill” by The Milk Carton Kids (15)
12. “I Don’t Know This World” by Tim Grimm (15)
14. “We Are the Girls” by Lyn Koonce (14)
15. “Highway 105” by Lynn Miles (13)
15. “Stirrin’ Up Trouble” by Tim Grimm (13)
15. “Red Winged Blackbird” by Amelia Hogan (13)
18. “Dear Island” by Mary Beth Carty (12)
19. “I Thank My Lucky Stars” by Karan Casey (11)
19. “The Weeping Time” by Karan Casey (11)
19. “Big Money Blues” by Dom Flemons (11)
19. “Johnny Without June” by Lynn Miles (11)
19. “The Breath of Burning” by Tim Grimm (11)
19. “Colour Theory” by Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (11)
19. “The Fair and Dark Haired Lad” by Jaimee Harris (11)

Top Artists of March 2023

1. Karan Casey (131)
2. Tim Grimm (116)
3. Mary Beth Carty (102)
4. Dom Flemons (86)
5. Iris Dement (80)
6. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy (73)
7. Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (61)
8. Mighty Poplar (60)
9. Rebecca Folsom (58)
10. Doc Watson (56)
10. Amelia Hogan (56)
12. Lynn Miles (55)
13. Benny Bleu (53)
14. Slaid Cleaves (50)
14. Craig Bickhardt (50)
16. Buddy Mondlock (47)
17. Eric Bibb (45)
18. Bob Dylan (42)
19. CornMaiz String Band (40)
20. The Gaulway Ramblers (38)
20. Eric Kilburn (38)
20. Mark Erelli (38)
23. My Politic (37)
24. John McCutcheon (36)
24. Jaimee Harris (36)
26. Willie Nelson (35)
26. April Verch and Cody Walters (35)
28. Reggie Garrett (34)
29. Billy Strings (33)
30. Bunny Barnes (32)
31. Just Us Lillys (31)
31. Grant Peeples (31)
31. Joni Mitchell (31)
34. Joe Jencks (30)
34. Jason Lang (30)
36. Michael Cleveland (29)
36. Alice Howe (29)
38. Tim Ball (28)
39. Irene Kelley (27)
39. Doug Cox and Linda McRae (27)