10 Folk Music Artists You Need to Know in 2016

Folk music is having a moment right now, with artists like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers finding mainstream success. If you’re looking to get into the folk scene, here are 10 artists you need to know in 2016.

William Prince

William Prince is a singer-songwriter and musician from Canada. His music is a mix of folk, country, and blues. He has released two albums, “Echos” and “Gentleman.” His latest album, “Gentleman,” was released in 2016.

The Small Glories

The Small Glories is a Canadian folk music duo from Winnipeg, Manitoba, consisting of singer-songwriters Cara Luft and JD Edwards. The duo has been compared to Simon & Garfunkel and The Civil Wars, and its music has been described as “rootsy, organic folk with a pop sensibility.”

The Small Glories released its debut album, Wondrous Love, in 2016. The album received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the duo’s songwriting and vocal harmonies. Wondrous Love was nominated for two Juno Awards in 2017: Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Group and Contemporary Roots Album of the Year.

The Small Glories has toured extensively in Canada, the United States, and Europe, playing at festivals such as Winnipeg Folk Festival and Calgary Folk Festival. In 2016, the duo was named one of CBC Music’s “10 folk and roots artists you need to know.”

The Dead South

The Dead South is a four-piece banjo and acoustic guitar ensemble from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The band members are Nate Hilts (lead vocals, guitar, mandolin), Danny Kenyon (drums, percussion), Scott Pringle (banjo) and Colton Crawford (bass). The group has been called “one of the most promising new bands in Canada” by CBC Music.

The Dead South’s music has been described as a blend of bluegrass, folk and country. The band was formed in 2012 and released its first album, Good Company, in 2014. The album was recorded in just four days and was self-produced. It was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Roots & Traditional Album of the Year.

The Dead South’s second album, Illusion & Doubt, was released in 2016. The album was produced by Grammy-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White). It includes the singles “In Hell I’ll Be in Good Company” and “Long Way Home”.

Leyla McCalla

Born in New York to Haitian parents and raised in South Carolina, Leyla McCalla is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist steeped in the musical traditions of two cultures. Classically trained on cello from an early age, McCalla is equally at home playing jazz on the piano or clawhammer banjo. Her debut album, Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes (2014), won acclaim for its inventive interpretations of Hughes’s poems set to original music. The follow-up, A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey (2016), is a collection of original songs inspired by Haitian folktales. McCalla’s rich, soulful voice and distinctive folk-pop sound have earned her comparisons to Nina Simone and Billie Holiday.

Anaïs Mitchell

Anaïs Mitchell is a singer-songwriter from Vermont who writes modern folk songs with a distinctly old-fashioned bent. Her grandfather taught her to play guitar when she was six, and she began performing at local coffeehouses while still in high school. After college, she released her debut album, TheBrightest Star, in 2001. Since then, she has released four more albums, most recently Hadestown (2010), a song cycle based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Mitchell has been praised for her evocative lyrics and beautiful, nuanced singing voice, and has been compared to such folk legends as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

The Ballroom Thieves

Formed in 2012 inBoston, MA, The Ballroom Thieves are a folk rock band made up of Martin Earley, Calin Peters and Devin Mauch. With their unique blend of acoustic instruments and three-part harmonies, the group has been turning heads since they released their self-titled debut EP in 2013.

The band picked up steam quickly, landing opening slots for artists like Ray LaMontagne, Lake Street Dive and The Lone Bellow. In 2014, they released their first full-length album A Wolf in the Doorway, which was included on several year-end “best of” lists.

The group’s sophomore album Deadeye was released in 2016 to critical acclaim, with NPR writing that the album is “full of gorgeous three-part harmonies and melodies that will stick with you long after the last note fades away.” The Ballroom Thieves are currently on tour in support of the new album – catch them live if you can.

Darlingside

From four-part close harmonies to intricate instrumentation, the members of Darlingside — Don Mitchell (guitar, mandolin, banjo), Auyon Mukharji (mandolin, violin, piano), Sam Kassirer (keyboards, piano), and Harris Paseltiner (bass) — blend genres and styles effortlessly to create something wholly unique. Fans of Fleet Foxes and Punch Brothers will find much to love in the band’s music. Their 2016 album Birds Say was produced by Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats) and released on More Doug Records.

The Oh Hellos

The Oh Hellos are a brother-sister duo from Texas who create rich, textured folk-rock rooted in Americana tradition. Their debut album was released in 2012, and they’ve been touring steadily ever since, winning over audiences with their captivating live shows. Their music has been featured on TV shows like Parenthood and Sons of Anarchy, and their 2016 album Dear Wormwood is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

The Brother Brothers

The Brother Brothers is a New York-based duo composed of identical twins Adam and David Moss. The pair grew up in a musical family in Boulder, Colorado, and began playing together as teenagers. After spending several years performing in various rock and country bands, they decided to focus on writing and performing their own original songs.

Their debut album, Some People I Know, was released in 2016 to critical acclaim. The record highlights the brothers’ close harmonies and deft songwriting, and has earned them comparisons to everyone from Simon & Garfunkel to Gillian Welch. The Brother Brothers is currently touring the U.S. in support of the album.

The Suitcase Junket

With a rock & roll spirit and a DIY punk ethic, Matt Lorenz, a.k.a. the Suitcase Junket, is quickly making a name for himself as one of the most innovative and original singer-songwriters working today. Lorenz doesn’t just play guitar; he plays drums, slide guitar, harmonica, and anything else he can get his hands on to create his unique brand of “trash-can Americana.” He’s been known to play shows in abandoned buildings and fields, and his post-apocalyptic songs are full of references to abandoned cities and roadside trash. His new album, Pile Driver (out April 15 on Signature Sounds), was recorded in an old church in rural New Hampshire, and its 11 songs are full of the energy and raw emotion that have made the Suitcase Junket a live favorite.