FAI Folk Radio Charts – August 2024

House of Hamill had the top album (Wildfire), top song (“The Highwayman”), and was the most-played artist on folk radio during August 2024. 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.

A self-described upcycled Celtic folk band, House of Hamill features Rose Baldino (fiddle and vocals), Brian Buchanan (fiddle, vocals and guitar), and Caroline Browning (bass, mandolin and piano). The Pennsylvania-based, nationally touring trio has performed at music festivals and established folk venues. Its version of Ed Pickford’s “Pound a Week Rise” previously topped the songs chart on folk radio, while an all-violin cover of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” garnered more than 17-million views on Facebook and was reportedly shared more than 400,000 times.

As highlighted in its official bio, House of Hamill owes its existence, almost entirely, to a series of cancelled flights. This writer was at the 2014 Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City, Missouri when Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan found themselves onstage together. Burning Bridget Cleary, Baldino’s band at the time and a favorite of mine, was slated to perform a coveted official showcase, but inclement weather prevented two of her bandmates from flying. “Desperate to salvage the showcase, Rose approached Brian, who she knew fronted Canadian Celtic rock band Enter the Haggis. She thrust a guitar into Brian’s hands, pulled him onstage, and the two just clicked.” Four years later, the duo was booked to close out a festival in Colorado and hired a bass player and drummer to fill out their sound. Unfortunately, their hired bandmates’ flights were cancelled the day of their closing set. Local musician Caroline Browning joined them on bass for the weekend,the on-stege chemistry was clear, and House of Hamill became a trio.

House of Hamill’s tight vocal harmonies, sophisticated instrumental arrangements, and acoustic pop sensibilities are evident on Wildfire, its fourth full-length album. Like its live shows and previous releases, the album features a mix of original numbers, modern takes on centuries-old folk ballads, and choice covers. The trio’s rendition of Jimmy Webb’s “The Highwayman” was the month’s most-played song on folk radio.

[Here’s a link to view a live performance of House of Hamill performing “The Highwayman” in concert earlier this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqzdZVPbxJM.]

Wildfire — which was recorded in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina — also features House of Hamill’s original song “Banks of the Brandywine.” An ode to folklore that surrounds a notorious location on the Brandywine River in Chester County, PA, the song — which was #10 in August — was recently selected as the grand-prize winner in the folk category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest – 2024 Session 1. An international songwriting contest designed to help enable songwriters to express themselves, gain recognition, and get their music heard, the contest was made possible by Yoko Ono Lennon and proceeds from it help support the nonprofit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus mobile recording studio that provides young people with opportunities to create original music and digital media.

[Here’s a link to view House of Hamill’s official video for “Banks of the Brandywine”: https://youtu.be/KGK0E3ROGp8?feature=shared.For more information on the trio and to view more videos, visit houseofhamill.com.]

The August 2024 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 11,755 airplays reported on 405 playlists submitted by 107 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 2024

1. Wildfire by House of Hamill (91)
2. From China to Appalachia by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (75)
3. Boarding Windows in Paradise by Rebecca Frazier (69)
4. Bloom Where You Fall by Hana Zara (58)
5. The Light Years by The Magnolia Janes (52)
6. The Legend of Sugarbelly by Guy Davis (43)
6. Hanging at the Luna Star by Lou Dominguez (43)
8. The First Day of December by Ivan Strunin (41)
9. Earl Jam by Tony Trischka (40)
9. Points of Light by Noah Zacharin (40)
11. Signposts and Marks by Erin Ash Sullivan (39)
12. The Two of Us by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (38)
13. Goldenrod by Teni Rane (35)
14. Wasted Luck by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (33)
15. Holding the Threads by Beth DeSombre (32)
16. A Prosperous Gale by Open the Door for Three (30)
17. City of Glass by AJ Lee and Blue Summit (28)
18. Terra Madre by Beppe Gambetta (26)
19. Alone Again….live by Steve Earle (25)
19. Trees by Laurie Lewis (25)
21. Starting Over by Dan Bern (23)
22. Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell (22)
23. Wanderers Like Me by The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (21)
23. Broken Homes and Hearts of Gold by The Lucky Nows (21)
23. Borned in Ya by Melissa Carper (21)
23. Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (21)
23. Driven to Drive by Joe Ely (21)
23. Soliloquy: Sixteen Solo Songs by Craig Bickhardt (21)
29. The Earth Turns and So Do We by The Honey Badgers (19)
30. Resurrection by Los Lonely Boys (18)
30. The Ghost of Tucumcari by Dana Cooper (18)
30. Cowgirl’s Delight by Phoebe White (18)
33. There’s a Bright Side Somewhere by Happy Traum (17)
33. Texicali by Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (17)
33. Look Up by Lynn Hollyfield (17)
33. Banjo Jubilations by Benny Bleu (17)
33. Proxy Music by Linda Thompson (17)
33. One of These Days by Cris Jacobs (17)
39. The Only Moment by Maya De Vitry (16)
39. Wanderer by Ruth Moody (16)
39. Blame It on Eve by Shemekia Copeland (16)
42. The Avett Brothers by The Avett Brothers (15)
42. Weary Ramblers by Weary Ramblers (15)
42. Transmissions by Amos Lee (15)
45. On Banjo by Alison Brown (14)
45. South of Here by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (14)
45. Listen to the World Spin by Paper Wings (14)
45. The Price of Happiness by Miranda Hardy (14)
45. Phthalo Blue by Andrew Marlin (14)
45. Ordinary Elephant by Ordinary Elephant (14)
45. Lace by Billy Eli (14)
45. The Beauty of This Now by Marc Douglas Berardo (14)
45. Wild Birds Warbel by Jubal Lee Young (14)
45. Hymn of Wild Things by Natalie Spears (14)

Top Songs of August 2024

1. “The Highwayman” by House of Hamill (21)
2. “Gentle Arms of Eden” by Erik Balkey and Jessica Smucker (18)
2. “Put No Walls Around Your Garden” by New Dangerfield (18)
2. “High on a Mountain” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (18)
2. “Who Will Take My Place” by Tania Elizabeth (18)
6. “Our Work Here Is Not Yet Done” by Hana Zara (17)
7. “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (14)
7. “Worst of Both Worlds” by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (14)
7. “People Against an Empire” by Hana Zara (14)
10. “Banks of the Brandywine” by House of Hamill (13)
10. “Think I’ll Have Another One” by Lisa Jeanette (13)
12. “Gold Watch and Chain” by Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (12)
12. “Listen to the Radio” by Beth DeSombre (12)
12. “Borderline” by Rebecca Frazier (12)
15. “Firefly” by Teni Rane (11)
15. “Zydeco Minor Swing” by Ivan Strunin (11)
15. “Ten Tons of Road” by Noah Zacharin (11)
15. “Leadfoot” by Billy Strings (11)
15. “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” by Lou Dominguez (11)
20. “Smokejumper” by House of Hamill (10)
20. “Speed of Life” by The Magnolia Janes (10)
20. “August Flower” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (10)
20. “Stones on the Road” by The Magnolia Janes (10)
24. “Dooley” by Tony Trischka (9)
24. “Saro Jane” by Rebecca Frazier (9)
24. “High Country Road Trip” by Rebecca Frazier (9)
24. “Ausable” by House of Hamill (9)
24. “Goat on a Stone Wall” by Erin Ash Sullivan (9)
24. “Sit and Pick With You” by Beppe Gambetta (9)
24. “Into the Wild” by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (9)
24. “Chilly Winds” by Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (9)
24. “The Sun in My Backyard” by The Magnolia Janes (9)
24. “Wildfire” by House of Hamill (9)
24. “Into the Golden” by House of Hamill (9)

Top Artists of August 2024

1. House of Hamill (93)
2. Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Chao Tian (75)
3. Rebecca Frazier (70)
4. Hana Zara (58)
5. The Magnolia Janes (52)
6. Guy Davis (50)
7. Lou Dominguez (47)
8. Sweet Honey in the Rock (45)
9. Tony Trischka (42)
10. Erin Ash Sullivan (41)
10. Ivan Strunin (41)
12. Noah Zacharin (40)
13. Janie Rothfield and Allan Carr (38)
14. Happy Traum (37)
14. Laurie Lewis (37)
16. Pete Seeger (35)
16. Teni Rane (35)
18. Tiffany Williams and Dalton Mills (33)
18. Steve Earle (33)
20. Beth DeSombre (32)
21. Open the Door for Three (31)
21. Nanci Griffith (31)
21. Dan Bern (31)
24. AJ Lee and Blue Summit (30)
24. Johnny Cash (30)
26. Alison Brown (29)
27. Beppe Gambetta (28)
28. Billy Strings (27)
28. The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (27)
30. Tom Rush (26)
31. Craig Bickhardt (25)
31. John Prine (25)
33. Ellis Paul (24)
33. Bob Dylan (24)
33. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (24)
33. Benny Bleu (24)
33. Carrie Newcomer (24)
38. John McCutcheon (23)
38. Joe Ely (23)
40. Stan Rogers (22)
40. Richard Thompson (22)
40. Sierra Ferrell (22)