Cris Jacobs had the top album (One of These Days) and was the most-played artist on folk radio during April 2024, while Tim Grimm had the month’s most-played song (“Broken Truth”) and was the second most-played artist. 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.
Cris Jacobs is a Baltimore, Maryland-based singer-songwriter. The music on his album One of These Days is rooted in bluegrass, folk and blues. Produced by Jerry Douglas (an acclaimed Dobro player and winner of 16 Grammy Awards), the 11-track album was recorded live and features Jacobs’ friends The Infamous Stringdusters as his backing band. Also lending their musical talents to the recording are Sam Bush, Billy Strings, Lee Ann Womack, The McCrary Sisters, Lindsay Lou, and more.
“I’ve always found so much comfort in roots music — in string band music,” says Jacobs. “ There’s just something about the sound of all those instruments together that resonates with me to my core and brings me grounding and peace.”
[Here’s a link to listen to the title track of Cris Jacobs’ One of These Days: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ar6TOfYs9M.]
Tim Grimm is an acclaimed storytelling balladeer who splits his time between homes in the woods of southern Indiana and a cottage in Oklahoma when not on tour. Over the years, he’s had a number of top albums and songs on the Folk DJ (now FAI Folk) and EuroAmericana charts. Gone and A Stranger In This Town were the most-played albums on folk radio during 2021 and 2017 respectively, while “Gone,” “Gonna Be Great,” “Woody’s Landlord” (about former President Donald Trump’s father), and “King of the Folksingers” (a tribute to his friend and musical icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliott) were the most-played songs of 2020, 2017, 2016, and 2014.
Like the first three songs mentioned above, Grimm’s recent chart-topping single, “Broken Truth” is a politically charged one. About “Broken Truth,” Grimm says: “We as a society should have dismissed Trump after his loss, and certainly after the January 6th storming of the Capitol. We should have arrested him and dismantled the framework that enabled him. But we didn’t, and he’s still out there—telling outright lies and running for another term. We must speak up. We must face this deep tear in the fabric of our society, not bury our heads in the sand. We must fight back. We must not let our country descend into this dystopian madness. We need to wield the songwriting sword with a fervent intent these days. For nine years we’ve lived with sorrow – our will has been tested and our hearts have been broken. Let’s turn the tide and wield Pete Seeger’s Hammer. Let’s make America a good place, a compassionate place which can be called a beacon for truth and hope again. I’ll be singing, loud and clear.”
[Here’s a link to a video for Tim Grimm’s “Broken Truth”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y7XYGLjP-58.]
The April 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,836 airplays reported on 413 playlists submitted by 108 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 April 2024
1 One of These Days Cris Jacobs (74)
2 Trail of Flowers Sierra Ferrell (65)
3 Sailing Dreams Muriel Anderson (62)
4 By Now Heather Little (60)
5 Restless Soul Syndrome Jon Shain (55)
6 Diamond Days Brooks Williams (44)
6 Gardens Old, Flowers New Tom Rush (44)
8 Another Side Rachael Sage (43)
9 Bring in the Light Phoebe Rees (38)
10 Little Sun Charlie Parr (36)
10 My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall Various Artists (36)
12 Far Rockaway – The Songs of Phil Ochs Phil Odgers and John Kettle (35)
13 One Guitar Woman Sue Foley (34)
13 Polaroid Lovers Sarah Jarosz (34)
15 Singing to the Moon Jillian Matundan (33)
16 Seed Todd Burge (31)
16 All Is Song Misner and Smith (31)
18 All My Friends Aoife O’Donovan (30)
19 World Brand New Mouths of Babes (29)
20 All About the Bones Chris (27)
20 The Best Part Lisa Redfern (27)
20 Ordinary Sunrise Jay Linden (27)
20 Likely Story Mad Agnes (27)
24 Live at the Scala Theater Eric Bibb (26)
25 Ordinary Elephant Ordinary Elephant (25)
26 Whitechapel West of Eden (24)
26 Leaning In Open Book (24)
26 Wanderer Ruth Moody (24)
26 American Patchwork Quartet American Patchwork Quartet (24)
26 Simple Motion Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz (24)
31 Death’s Little Black Train Roman Barten-Sherman (23)
32 Sparrow Jeff Talmadge (22)
32 Used to Ain’t Here No More Ken Tillery (22)
34 Another Heart Ann Savoy (21)
34 Donegal Altan (21)
36 Out of the Darkness Nina Jo Smith (20)
36 No Such Thing as Forever Josh Fortenbery (20)
36 Tigers Blood Waxahatchee (20)
39 The Fields of Chazy Claudia Gibson (19)
39 More Than a Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith Various Artists (19)
41 Graced by Leaves Simone Keane (18)
42 Salt Box Charm City Junction (17)
42 The Living Kind John Smith (17)
44 Halfway to Houston Susan Werner (16)
45 Tell ‘Em You Were Gold Pharis and Jason Romero (15)
45 Visitor John Moreland (15)
45 Ezra Ezra (15)
45 Prayin’ for Sunshine Suzy Bogguss (15)
45 The Bard of Aquarius Zera Starchild (15)
50 So Much for Forever Authentic Unlimited (14)
50 On the Water Lisa Bastoni (14)
50 Deeper Well Kacey Musgraves (14)
50 The Last Trip Home Wendy Grossman (14)
Top Songs of April 2024
1 Broken Truth Tim Grimm (49)
2 Oceans Rising Kristen Grainger and True North (14)
2 Hands Like Mine Heather Little (14)
4 High on a Mountain With Ola Belle Reed Phoebe Rees (13)
4 “Tides” Muriel Anderson (13)
4 “Jersey Barriers” Jon Shain (13)
4 “The Growing Season” Todd Burge (13)
8 “American Dreaming” Sierra Ferrell (12)
8 “The Border” Willie Nelson (12)
10 “Big Sky” Brooks Williams (11)
10 “Albatross” Rachael Sage (11)
10 “Time to Move On” Chris Smither (11)
10 “Runaway Train” Sarah Jarosz (11)
10 “Lighthouse” Sierra Ferrell (11)
10 “Already Free” Ruth Moody (11)
16 “A Meadow” Open Book (10)
16 “Pale Blue Dot” Bett Padgett (10)
16 “One of These Days” Cris Jacobs (10)
16 “World Brand New” Mouths of Babes (10)
16 “Beauty of this World” Mad Agnes (10)
16 “Transistor Radio” Heather Little (10)
16 “Let Loose and Fly” Muriel Anderson (10)
16 “Work Song (I Can Still Sing)” Cris Jacobs (10)
24 “We Are Turning Gold” Joe Crookston (9)
24 “ Dooley” Tony Trischka (9)
24 “The Place of Fun” Rachael Sage (9)
24 “Relic of the Rain” Ordinary Elephant (9)
24 “All About the Bones” Chris Smither (9)
24 “When the Light Has Gone” Jack Williams (9)
24 “Lonesome Homesick Blues” Sue Foley (9)
24 “Small Towns (Are Smaller for Girls)” Leyla McCalla (9)
24 “Heavy Water” Cris Jacobs (9)
24 “Sailing Dream” Muriel Anderson (9)
24 “Bluegrass Radio” Alison Brown and Steve Martin (9)
Top Artists of April 2024
1 Cris Jacobs (74)
2 Tim Grimm (73)
3 Sierra Ferrell (70)
4 Muriel Anderson (67)
5 Si Kahn (66)
6 Heather Little (60)
7 Jon Shain (56)
8 Pete Seeger (54)
9 Brooks Williams (51)
10 Tom Rush (50)
11 Rachael Sage (49)
12 Charlie Parr (40)
12 Phil Ochs (40)
12 Sarah Jarosz (40)
15 Phoebe Rees (38)
16 Sue Foley (36)
16 John Prine (36)
18 Phil Odgers and John Kettle (35)
19 Jillian Matundan (33)
19 Malcolm Holcombe (33)
19 Chris Smither (33)
22 Misner and Smith (32)
22 Mad Agnes (32)
22 Todd Burge (32)
22 Mouths of Babes (32)
22 Aoife O’Donovan (32)
27 John McCutcheon (31)
27 Ordinary Elephant (31)
29 Lisa Redfern (29)
30 Bob Dylan (28)
30 The Seldom Scene (28)
32 Jay Linden (27)
32 Eric Bibb (27)
32 Magpie (27)
32 Susan Werner (27)
36 Ruth Moody (26)
37 Steve Goodman (25)
37 Emmylou Harris (25)
37 Rhiannon Giddens (25)
37 West of Eden (25)
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