Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Raye Zaragoza’s Hold That Spirit was the most-played album on folk radio during August 2023, while seminal Canadian-American roots rockers The Band topped the month’s artists chart and had its most-played song (“The Weight”). 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.

Originally from New York City, Ray Zaragoza is a woman of mixed indigenous, Asian and Latina heritage, whose political folk music is informed by her intersectional identity. Hold That Spirit, her third album, was created entirely by women and features songs that were inspired by her thinking about the expectations placed on women as they age. “Hold That Spark is an album about reclaiming the spark inside you that you once thought had to be lit by something outside of yourself,” she says.

[Here’s a link to listen to Raye Zaragoza’s song “Strong Woman,” one of the tracks on
Hold That Spirit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG5j7XSN6m4.]

The Band, widely viewed as pioneers of Americana music, burst on the scene with the release of its debut album, Music From Big Pink, 55 years ago. Among its tracks is the group’s signature song, “The Weight.” One of the most iconic recordings of the 1960s, it was written by Robbie Robertson, who passed away last month. Ostensibly about a visitor’s experiences in a town known as Nazareth (Martin Guitars, which Robertson played, are manufactured in Nazareth, PA), “The Weight” is a song replete with biblical allusions that Robertson once said addressed “the impossibility of sainthood.” The movies of Ingmar Bergman and Luis Bunuel, as well as the music of the American South and the life experiences of the late Levon Helm and other band members reportedly inspired the much-covered song.

[Here’s a link to enjoy a re-mastered recording of “The Weight” by The Band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLFAQuWFcTo.]

The August 2023 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,816 airplays reported on 407 playlists submitted by 111 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 August 2023

Raye Zaragoza hold that spirit1. Hold That Spirit by Raye Zaragoza (77)
2. City of Gold by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (74)
3. Gently as I Go by Caroline Cotter (71)
4. Triple Shot by Shannon Leigh Reynolds (65)
5. Ever Onward by Bob and Sarah Amos (54)
6. Where the Light Lives by Joy Zimmerman (52)
7. Another Ghost Town by Andy and Judy (49)
8. California Morning by Rachel Anne Goodman (48)
8. The Seven Fires Prophecy Suite for Humanity by Kim Moberg (48)
10. New Old Friends by C. Daniel Boling (46)
11. Macguffin by Phil Henry (45)
11. Rants and Romance by Rod MacDonald (45)
13. 1988 by Lori McKenna (44)
14. Center of the Universe by Sofia Talvik (43)
15. Home by Eliza Gilkyson (40)
16. Joni Mitchell at Newport by Joni Mitchell (37)
17. Everything Is Alive by Darlingside (34)
17. You’re the One by Rhiannon Giddens (34)
19. Don’t Blink by Crowes Pasture (31)
20. Lift You Up by The Scooches (30)
21. Nothing but the Green Willow: The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry
by Martin Simpson and Thomm Jutz (29)
22. Visions by Jan Gillies (28)
22. The Last Waltz by The Band (28)
24. On My Way by Owen Walsh (27)
24. Quiet Flame by Caitlin Canty (27)
26. Kentucky for Me by Dale Ann Bradley (26)
26. The Band by The Band (26)
26. Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings From the Collection
of Mark McCormick by Various Artists (26)
29. Seven Stones by Katie Dahl (25)
30. Alone at Sea by Jeff Plankenhorn (24)
30. Circle of Days by The Nields (24)
32. Lightfoot by Brittany Jean (23)
33. Sweet Western Sound by Tanya Tucker (22)
34. Songs Before They Write Themselves by Holler Choir (21)
34. Bluegrass by Willie Nelson (21)
34. Nothing Else Matters by Phoebe Hunt (21)
34. Dandelion Breeze by The Clements Brothers (21)
34. 55 by Ellis Paul (21)
39. Music From Big Pink by The Band (20)
39. Little Songs by Colter Wall (20)
41. Thank Goodness by Robert Bidney (19)
41. Headwinds by The Kennedys (19)
41. Nine Becomes One by Joe Crookston (19)
44. O Sun O Moon by Bruce Cockburn (18)
44. Cup of Sugar by Tim O’Brien (18)
44. When My Mamma Sang to Me by Songs of Murphy Hicks Henry (18)
44. Gallery of Echoes by Steve Howell (18)
44. It’s a Complicated Life by The Two Tracks (18)
49. The Ballad of Madelyne and Therese by Rachel Garlin (17)
49. Stories From a Rock N Roll Heart by Lucinda Williams (17)
49. Bits and Pieces by Malcolm Holcombe (17)

Top Songs of August 2023

The Band the weight1. “The Weight” by The Band (20)
2. “Strong Woman” by Raye Zaragoza (19)
3. “Up on Cripple Creek” by The Band (16)
3. “How Shall We Sing” by Joy Zimmerman (16)
5. “The Djs” by Andy and Judy (14)
5. “The Welcome Song” by Jan Aldridge Clark (14)
5. “Italian Balconies” by Lara Herscovitch (14)
8. “Don’t Wait” by Caroline Cotter (13)
9. “Circle of Destruction” by Sofia Talvik (12)
9. “The Year of the Wrecking Ball” by Caroline Cotter (12)
11. “Old Friends” by C. Daniel Boling (11)
11. “If I Should Fall Behind” by Joy Zimmerman (11)
11. “World Keeps on Singing” by Eliza Gilkyson (11)
11. “Joy Revolution” by Raye Zaragoza (11)
11. “On the Sunny Side of Life” by Bob and Sarah Amos (11)
11. “I Put a Spell on You” by Shannon Leigh Reynolds (11)
11. “Songs That Still Make You Cry” by Phil Henry (11)
11. “Hold That Spirit” by Raye Zaragoza (11)
11. “Still Here” by Raye Zaragoza (11)
11. “Waiting for the Rain” by Rachel Anne Goodman (11)
21. “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell (10)
21. “The First Fire – Exodus” by Kim Moberg (10)
21. “Break My Mind” by Shannon Leigh Reynolds (10)
21. “California Morning” by Rachel Anne Goodman (10)
21. “Weightless” by Phil Henry (10)
21. “Here Comes the Storm” by Julie Grower (10)
21. “Heal the World” by Rod MacDonald (10)
21. “Get a Life!” by C. Daniel Boling (10)
21. “The Piney Wood Hills” by Shannon Leigh Reynolds (10)
21. “Alice in the Bluegrass” by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (10)

Top Artists of August 2023

1. The Band (126)
2. Raye Zaragoza (78)
3. Caroline Cotter (74)
3. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (74)
5. Shannon Leigh Reynolds (65)
6. Eliza Gilkyson (64)
6. Joni Mitchell (64)
8. Joy Zimmerman (57)
9. Rod MacDonald (55)
10. Bob and Sarah Amos (54)
11. Phil Henry (50)
12. Andy and Judy (49)
12. Kim Moberg (49)
14. Rachel Anne Goodman (48)
14. Lori McKenna (48)
14. C. Daniel Boling (48)
17. Sofia Talvik (47)
18. Rhiannon Giddens (41)
19. Bob Dylan (38)
20. Willie Nelson (37)
21. John McCutcheon (36)
22. Crowes Pasture (35)
23. Darlingside (34)
23. Nanci Griffith (34)
25. Caitlin Canty (33)
26. Robbie Robertson (32)
27. Brittany Jean (31)
27. Dale Ann Bradley (31)
29. The Scooches (30)
29. Joe Crookston (30)
31. Martin Simpson and Thomm Jutz (29)
31. Tim O’Brien (29)
33. Jan Gillies (28)
34. Ellis Paul (27)
34. Joan Baez (27)
34. Owen Walsh (27)
37. Katie Dahl (26)
37. Tanya Tucker (26)
39. Sinead O’Connor (25)
39. The Nields (25)