Folk

Folk on vinyl: old songs, new voices

In short: Folk means songs from the tradition of folk music – handed down or newly written, mostly with acoustic instruments. In the USA folk enjoyed a big revival in the late fifties and sixties with singers such as Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Bob Dylan; today young songwriters are taking up the sound again. The Vinyl Room currently has 125 folk records.

What is folk?

A voice, a guitar, a story – that’s how folk begins. Judy Collins is one of the great voices of the American revival; here with the collection “Both Sides Now – The Very Best Of”. Jerry Silverman’s instruction record “The Art Of The Folk-Blues Guitar” shows how to play it yourself.

Today folk often sounds more idiosyncratic: Josephine Foster sings with a voice that sounds like an old recording, Sharon Van Etten with an indie sound, Laura Cannell and Polly Wright with freely improvised singing inspired by the landscape and folklore of East Anglia. Altın Gün from Amsterdam play Turkish folk with psychedelic elements.

What to look for

Sixties and seventies folk records often exist in several editions from different countries; plus many new releases. Which edition you get is noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

New in

→ Folk rock · Bob Dylan · Folk & world on vinyl · How to spot a first pressing · Grading explained

FAQ

What is folk? Songs from the tradition of folk music, handed down or newly written, mostly with acoustic instruments.

What was the folk revival? The rediscovery of old songs in the USA in the late fifties and sixties, with Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Bob Dylan.

What is the difference from folk rock? Folk rock plays such songs with electric guitar, bass and drums.

Is there new folk? Yes – here, for example, from Josephine Foster, Sharon Van Etten and Altın Gün.