The Kennedys, a popular folk-rock and Americana duo, had the most-played album (Headwinds), topped the artists chart, and had four of the month’s top ten songs on folk radio during September 2023. Christian Parker’s rendition of “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” edged out three of them as 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.
The Kennedys (Photo: Suzy Allman)
[Listen to The Kennedys’ song “Waging Peace”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwD2Us-yYmo.]
The Kennedys, who began their writing and touring life three decades ago as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra and developed their own sound as a frequent support act on her tours, logged well over a million miles of roadwork prior to the pandemic and, after three years of weekly live-streamed lockdown-era concerts that afforded them the opportunity to explore classic songwriting in depth, they are touring extensively this fall in support of the new album.
“After such a deep dive into American roots music, we felt like we had a new set of writing tools. We were ready to create this body of work, and there’s just so much to write about,” said Maura Kennedy. “During our five-year hiatus from writing and recording, America changed in massive ways, divisive ways that have shaken our whole foundation. That has to be addressed by creative artists, those of us who have a voice to speak for others. Our love of the great things about this country, things that are under threat, is the reason we decided to make “Headwinds” the title track of the CD. Political and social headwinds are making it hard to get back ‘home’ to our greatness as a nation. We want to push back in a positive way against those winds.”
[Here’s a link to listen to listen to The Kennedys’ song “Late September Breeze”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv4ycFrOmeY.]
Christian Parker is an upstate New York-based songwriter, guitarist and longtime recording artist whose rendition of “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” appears on Sweethearts: A Tribute to The Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the month’s second most-played album on folk radio.
The September 2023 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,583 airplays reported on 397 playlists submitted by 104 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 September 2023
1. Headwinds by The Kennedys (138)
2. Sweethearts: A Tribute to the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo by
Christian Parker (85)
3. Highways, Gamblers, Devils, and Dreams by Hank Woji (73)
4. New Old Friends by C. Daniel Boling (59)
5. The Breath Between by David Francey (56)
6. Rooted by Emma’s Revolution (52)
7. You’re the One by Rhiannon Giddens (50)
8. Gently as I Go by Caroline Cotter (49)
9. Old Cane Back Rocker by Darrell Scott String Band (44)
10. Hold That Spirit by Raye Zaragoza (42)
11. Bayou St. John by Gregg Hill (39)
12. Location, Location, Location! by John Forster (38)
13. My Father Loved Me by Rachael Kilgour (36)
13. A Great Wild Mercy by Carrie Newcomer (36)
15. Bluegrass by Willie Nelson (35)
15. City of Gold by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (35)
17. All You Need by Steven Gellman (34)
18. Ever Onward by Bob and Sarah Amos (32)
19. My Own Mistakes by Eric Kilburn (31)
19. Morning Shift by Steep Canyon Rangers (31)
21. Be Brave by Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale (30)
22. Sweet Western Sound by Tanya Tucker (29)
23. Gallery of Echoes by Steve Howell (28)
23. The Lonesome Chronicles by Kathy Kallick Band (28)
23. Center of the Universe by Sofia Talvik (28)
26. Triple Shot by Shannon Leigh Reynolds (27)
27. Where the Light Lives by Joy Zimmerman (26)
28. California Morning by Rachel Anne Goodman (25)
28. Jubilee by Old Crow Medicine Show (25)
30. The Seven Fires Prophecy: Suite for Humanity by Kim Moberg (24)
30. Another Ghost Town by Andy and Judy (24)
32. Try to Make It Fly by Lonesome Ace Stringband (23)
33. Everything Is Alive by Darlingside (22)
33. Let All Who Will by Chris Pierce (22)
33. Alone at Sea by Jeff Plankenhorn (22)
36. Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds (21)
36. A Sunday Drive by Ed Sweeney (21)
38. Visions by Jan Gillies (20)
39. Valley of Heart’s Delight by Margo Cilker (19)
39. Home by Eliza Gilkyson (19)
39. Anything but Ordinary by Jan Aldridge Clark (19)
39. Macguffin by Phil Henry (19)
39. The Returner by Allison Russell (19)
44. 1988 by Lori McKenna (18)
44. Cup of Sugar by Tim O’Brien (18)
46. Rants and Romance by Rod Macdonald (17)
46. The Road Less Taken by Carl Jack (17)
48. Don’t Blink by Crowes Pasture (16)
48. Promised Land by Danny Burns (16)
48. Count It in Moons by Heather Miller (16)
Top Songs of September 2023
[Here’s a link to listen to Christian Parker’s rendition of The Byrds’ “You Ain’t Going Nowhere”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_brvK4yGdjY.]
1. “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” by Christian Parker (21)
2. “Late September Breeze” by The Kennedys (20)
2. “New Set of Wheels” by The Kennedys (20)
2. “Waging Peace” by The Kennedys (20)
5. “The Welcome Song” by Jan Aldridge Clark (19)
6. “Little Green Bottles” by The Kennedys (18)
7. “Late September” by Randall Kromm (17)
8. “Just Lonesome Ol’ Me and the Radio” by Kathy Kallick Band (16)
9. “100 Summers” by James Lee Baker (14)
10. “Pretty Boy Floyd” by Christian Parker (12)
10. “The Year of the Wrecking Ball” by Caroline Cotter (12)
10. “I Called It Love” by David Francey (12)
13. “The Coffee Song” by Rod Abernethy (11)
13. “Headwinds” by The Kennedys (11)
13. “Come Monday” by Jimmy Buffett (11)
13. “The Woods and the Wild” by The Kennedys (11)
17. “Strong Woman” by Raye Zaragoza (10)
17. “Coming Your Way” by Caroline Cotter (10)
17. “It’s Lonesome Everywhere I Go” by Kathy Kallick Band (10)
17. “The Sky Doesn’t Look Right” by The Kennedys (10)
21. “End of Summer” by John and Sheila Ludgate (9)
21. “You Don’t Miss Your Water” by Christian Parker (9)
21. “Ya Gotta Love Jerusalem” by John Forster (9)
21. “Hen in the Foxhouse” by Rhiannon Giddens (9)
21. “Clearwater Tune” by Emma’s Revolution (9)
21. “This Town Has No Cafe” by C. Daniel Boling (9)
21. “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” by Darrell Scott String Band (9)
21. “You’re the One” by Rhiannon Giddens (9)
21. “Just Like You, Just Like Me” by Steven Gellman (9)
21. “The Pemberton Mill” by Andy and Judy (9)
Top Artists of September 2023
Maura and Pete Kennedy (Photo: Jeff Fasano)
2. Jimmy Buffett (91)
3. Christian Parker (85)
4. Hank Woji (78)
5. Emma’s Revolution (67)
6. David Francey (65)
7. C. Daniel Boling (60)
8. Bob Dylan (58)
8. Rhiannon Giddens (58)
10. Caroline Cotter (49)
11. Carrie Newcomer (46)
12. Darrell Scott String Band (44)
12. Raye Zaragoza (44)
14. Willie Nelson (42)
15. Hank Williams (41)
16. Rachael Kilgour (39)
16. Gregg Hill (39)
18. John Forster (38)
19. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (35)
20. Steven Gellman (34)
21. Kathy Kallick Band (33)
21. Old Crow Medicine Show (33)
21. Nanci Griffith (33)
24. Bob and Sarah Amos (32)
24. Eric Kilburn (32)
24. Steep Canyon Rangers (32)
27. Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale (30)
27. The Byrds (30)
27. Tanya Tucker (30)
30. John McCutcheon (29)
30. Joy Zimmerman (29)
32. Sofia Talvik (28)
32. Steve Howell (28)
34. Lonesome Ace Stringband (27)
34. Shannon Leigh Reynolds (27)
36. Rod Macdonald (26)
36. Eliza Gilkyson (26)
36. Andy and Judy (26)
36. Kim Moberg (26)
40. Rachel Anne Goodman (25)
40. Pete Seeger (25)
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