Oops, I forgot about yesterdays entry. Life gets kinda hectic with a family, a new dog, a real job, and pathetic attempts to get back into shape. Anyways, today's list is a short one. There hasn't been much innovation in country and folk music lately. Country artists are singing about the same broken hearts, crummy bars, pick-up trucks, ex-spouses, and farm equipment as they were 20 years ago. As a whole country music is what it is, those that try to change it get ignored. But you never know, with interests renewed in bluegrass and roots music, and interesting collaborations between people like Willy Nelson/Wyclef Jean, Nelly/Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney/Uncle Kracker, and rockers going hillbilly i.e. Kid Rock & Ryan Adams, maybe the next 20 years will be better.
Lucinda Williams ranked at #9 with her 1988 self titled album. Lucinda was (and still is) difficult to market. She's too rock & roll for Nashville but too country for the rest of the world. Some record stores will have her albums filed in country, others will file her in pop/rock. Her music is alternately captivating and grating. But she's achieved a lot during a career that has spanned a quarter century, not easy for a female musician whose had to do most every thing on her own with little label support. Her entry on this list is well deserved.
The only other folksy entry into the top 100 is 1994' Grace by Jeff Buckley. He faced comparisons to his father but strayed toward classic rock inspired folk. Grace was the only full length album released prior to his tragic death 1997. This album barely scratched the surface of what Jeff was capable of and his post humus album Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk showed pure musical genius and raw talent, emphasizing what we will miss without him here to make more music.
Well that's it for today, more still to come.
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