Songs of Our Native Daughters (featuring modern roots artists Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell and Amythyst Kiah) was the top album on folk radio during March 2019, while four of its 13 tracks were among the month’s top 10 most-played songs. Singer-Songwriter Danny Schmidt’s “Just Wait Til They See You” edged out one of them for the #1 song. Our Native Daughters were the most-played artists of the month, followed by Schmidt. So say charts compiled from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio.

Songs of Our Native DaughtersAs Smithsonian Folkways Recordings states on its website, “Songs of Our Native Daughters shines new light on African-American women’s stories of struggle, resistance, and hope. Pulling from and inspired by 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century sources, including slave narratives and early minstrelsy, kindred banjo players Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell reinterpret and create new works from old ones. With unflinching, razor-sharp honesty, they confront sanitized views about America’s history of slavery, racism, and misogyny from a powerful black female perspective. These songs call on the persistent spirits of the daughters, mothers, and grandmothers who have fought for justice – in large, public ways – only now being recognized, and in countless domestic ways that will most likely never be acknowledged.”

Giddens, who co-produced the album with Dirk Powell, was formerly with Carolina Chocolate Drops – as was McCalla. Russell, a multi-instrumentalist, is also part of Birds of Chicago and Po’ Girl, while Kiah is an alt-country and blues singer-songwriter.

The March 2019 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 17,477 airplays reported on 633 playlists submitted by 137 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses. The charts are compiled by Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

The monthly top albums,songs and artists charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of March 2019

Here’s a link to view a video of the making of “Mama’s Cryin’ Long” from Songs of Our Native Daughters:

https://folkways.si.edu/video/the-making-of-mama-s-cryin-long-from-songs-of-our-native-daughters

1. Songs of Our Native Daughters by Our Native Daughters (195)
2. Standard Deviation by Danny Schmidt (133)
3. Allison De Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves by Allison De Groot and
Tatiana Hargreaves (104)
4. Patty Griffin by Patty Griffin (98)
5. The Bull Moose Party by Jackson Grimm (97)
6. When You’re Ready by Molly Tuttle (93)
7. To Everyone in All the World by John McCutcheon (88)
8. What Will We Do by Lula Wiles (75)
8. Facets of Folk by Mara Levine (75)
10. What if This Is All There Is by Rj Cowdery (74)
10. The Point of Arrival by Carrie Newcomer (74)
12. Songs From Mother Jones in Heaven by Vivian Nesbitt and John Dillon (71)
13. Tim O’Brien Band by Tim O’Brien Band (64)
14. Time and Truth by Joel Mabus (60)
15. Closing the Gap by Molsky’s Mountain Drifters (57)
15. Off to Here Land by Ashley and Simpson (57)
17. The Long Road by Beth Wood (49)
18. The Butcher Shoppe EP by Della Mae (46)
18. Caffeine and Nicotine by David Glaser (46)
18. It’s a Hard Life by Ruby Lovett (46)
18. Roll On, Clouds by Frank Lee and Allie Burbrink (46)
22. The Great Irish Songbook by Dervish (44)
22. Pictures of Us by Braden Gates (44)
22. Pseudomyopia by Rachael Sage (44)
25. Legacy of Love by Ellen Bukstel (43)
26. Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3 by Todd Snider (42)
27. Another Time and Place by The Village Dudes (41)
28. North Country by Danny Burns (40)
29. A New Story by J Wagner (38)
30. Hummingbird by John Smith (37)
30. Pack Up the Moon by D.C. Bloom (37)
32. Tides of a Teardrop by Mandolin Orange (36)
32. October in the Railroad Earth by Tom Russell (36)
34. Valley of the Bones by Jane Kramer (33)
34. Common Chords by Robert Jones and Matt Watroba (33)
34. Smoke and Ashes by Lonely Heartstring Band (33)
37. What It Is by Hayes Carll (32)
38. Monroe Bus by Andy Statman (31)
39. The Well Is for Water by Richey Bellinger (30)
39. The Best of Live – 50 Years of Livingston Taylor by Livingston Taylor (30)
41. Last Day on This Earth by David Roth (29)
41. Riverland by Eric Brace, Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz (29)
41. March Through Storms by House of Hamill (29)
41. The Choosing Road by Chris Jones and the Night Drivers (29)
45. A List of Names by Karyn Oliver (28)
45. Unfortunate Point of View by Katherine Rondeau (28)
45. Sweet Creature by Sophie Buskin (28)
45. Sing Louder by Meghan Cary (28)
45. If You Can’t Stand the Heat by Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen (28)
50. Woven Waters by Tellico (27)
51. Ten: The Errant Night by Runa (26)
51. Evermore by Smithfield Fair (26)
53. Armadillo on a Hot Tin Roof by Vi Wickam and Justin Branum (25)
54. Time and Place by George Jackson (24)
54. I Walked in Them Shoes by Adam Carroll (24)
54. Siren by Five Letter Word (24)
57. Driver by Michael Braunfeld (23)
57. Anyone Can See by The Honey Dewdrops (23)
57. Reflections by Andy and Judy (23)
60. Shorelines by Emilyn Stam and Filippo Gambetta (22)
60. Joni 75: A Joni Mitchell Celebration by Various Artists (22)
60. When the Sun Goes Down by Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert (22)
60. Territoires by Le Vent Du Nord (22)
60. A Good Dog Is Lost by Ken Tizzard (22)
60. We Will Sing by Lizzy Plotkin (22)
66. Rising Tide by Taivi (21)
66. Rubies in the Dust by Terry Kitchen (21)
66. Tex by Terry Klein (21)
66. Over the Line by Jeff Scroggins and Colorado (21)
66. River’s Rising by Nancy Cassidy (21)
66. The Four Directions Project by Eli Lev (21)

Top Songs of March 2019

Here’s a link to view the official video for “Just Wait Til They See You,” Danny Schmidt’s love song for his daughter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv19eDyDi1A

1. “Just Wait Til They See You” by Danny Schmidt (31)
2. “Polly Ann’s Hammer” by Our Native Daughters (30)
3. “Take the Journey” by Molly Tuttle (29)
3. “Appalachia Calling” by Jackson Grimm (29)
5. “You’re Not Alone” by Our Native Daughters (25)
6. “I Knew I Could Fly” by Our Native Daughters (22)
6. “Moon Meets the Sun” by Our Native Daughters (22)
8. “River” by Patty Griffin (20)
8. “Million Miles” by Molly Tuttle (20)
10. “Where I Come From” by Patty Griffin (19)
10. “Middle America Blues” by Jackson Grimm (19)
12. “I Don’t Want to Get Married” by Allison De Groot and Tatiana
Hargreaves (18)
12. “There’s a Bright Side Somewhere” by Molsky’s Mountain Drifters (18)
12. “Writing a Better Story” by Carrie Newcomer (18)

Danny Schmidt (Photo: Chris Carson)

Danny Schmidt (Photo: Chris Carson)

12. “Newport ’65” by Danny Schmidt (18)
16. “Music and Joy” by Our Native Daughters (17)
17. “I Had Left Ireland Behind Me” by Vivian Nesbitt and John Dillon (16)
17. “Last Man Standing” by Danny Schmidt (16)
19. “God Bless the Grass” by John McCutcheon (15)
19. “Words Are Hooks” by Danny Schmidt (15)
19. “Hummingbird” by John Smith (15)
19. “Talking Reality Television Blues” by Todd Snider (15)
23. “Beaufort County Jail” by Allison De Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves (14)
23. “The High Road” by Molly Tuttle (14)
23. “Well May the World Go” by John McCutcheon (14)
23. “Tulsa” by Jackson Grimm (14)

Top Artists of March 2019

1. Our Native Daughters (195)
2. Danny Schmidt (138)
3. John McCutcheon (127)
4. Patty Griffin (114)
5. Allison De Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves (104)
6. Mara Levine (102)
7. Joel Mabus (101)
8. Jackson Grimm (98)
9. Molly Tuttle (95)
10. Carrie Newcomer (82)
11. Lula Wiles (75)
12. Rj Cowdery (74)
13. Vivian Nesbitt and John Dillon (71)
14. Tim O’Brien Band (64)
14. Mac Wiseman (64)
16. Molsky’s Mountain Drifters (61)
16. Tom Russell (61)
16. Dervish (61)
19. Ashley and Simpson (57)
20. Smithfield Fair (53)
21. Beth Wood (52)
22. John Smith (50)
22. Della Mae (50)
24. Frank Lee and Allie Burbrink (48)
25. Rachael Sage (47)
26. Ruby Lovett (46)
26. David Glaser (46)
28. Ellen Bukstel (45)
28. Todd Snider (45)
30. Braden Gates (44)
31. Doc Watson (42)
32. The Village Dudes (41)
33. Danny Burns (40)
34. Nancy Cassidy (38)
34. J Wagner (38)
34. Mandolin Orange (38)
37. D.C. Bloom (37)
37. Chris Jones and the Night Drivers (37)
39. Runa (35)
39. Lonely Heartstring Band (35)
39. Hayes Carll (35)