Appalachian clawhammer? Definitely a folk instrument! I’ve a couple of Abigail Washburn CDs after seeing her live at Sidmouth and Shrewsbury. Banjo is appearing in Irish traditional music too.
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For me, she was at her best with Fotheringay. Some beautiful songs there:
and of course
She left us far too early.
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Yes, Banks of the Nile would be one of my Desert Island Discs. Superb!
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Trouble is I would also choose Fotheringay.
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History of Claddagh Records founded by Garech Browne
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/20/garech-browne-guinness-heir-who-became-the-saviour-of-traditional-irish-songs
Claddagh now have a website and some fine poetry recordings too.
RTE review of new book has further details.
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Thanks for the recommendation. Am very much enjoying “City of Refuge” and “Song of the Travelling Daughter”!
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I’m not sure what to make of Joshua Burnell; I read a review of one of his albums this morning and was intrigued by his reworking of traditional folk songs such as Reynardine and Tam Lin.
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I saw him at Cropredy last week and was very impressed. He’s since told the Fairporters group his album has been rejected from the prog charts for being too folkie, and from the folk charts for (you’ve guessed it) being too prog.
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Late Junction played ‘My Husband’s Got No Courage in Him’ by Shovel Dance Collective who are on the festival circuit. Listening to their album The Water is the Shovel of the Shore. Not sure that ‘My Husband…’ works with a man’s voice, but it made me think (which I guess is the point.) Album has drones and ambient noise and voices I’d describe as counter-tenor. Here’s a live performance by the band.
Had a listen to some tracks on Rufus Wainwright’s collaborative album Folkocracy. ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ Pleasant enough countryish-folkish.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/04/rufus-wainwright-folkocracy-review-an-illustrious-feelgood-duet-party
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Nice family gathering, I spot an aunt, cousin, half-sister and sister on the Featuring list, and I’m fairly sure I saw Chaim play with Loudon a few times back in the ‘80s/‘90s.
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Lankum nominated for the Mercury Prize for their recent album False Lankum.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/sep/04/extreme-lankum-heavy-mutant-folk-mercury-favourites-ireland
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Or “The Sea” but they are all trumped IMHO by the demo version of “No End” from “… Unicorn”
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At a guess you’re on Qobuz 
? They don’t seem to have got round to her back catalogue. There are more of her albums on Tidal.
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Roger Whittaker RIP
Roger Whittaker: Durham Town folk singer dies at 87 Roger Whittaker: Durham Town folk singer dies at 87 - BBC News
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Unaccompanied singing reminded me of mouth music and of this. Something I grew up with. I’m sure one can be disdainful but it holds a place in my heart.
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At the weekend we saw Macbeth at Stratford. The music was terrific, lots of brass and Annie Grace on bagpipes. I see she performed with the group The Iron Horse (now disbanded) and has two records ‘Take Me Out Drinking Tonight’ and ‘The Bell.’ Besides the bagpipes, she plays smallpipes and whistles, the smallpipes enables her to sing as well.
Her album ‘The Bell’ is on Qobuz which includes some piping.
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Lovely voice - thanks for the recommendation