Who are these people who say that there’s no great music being released anymore - you know, not like when they were young? Maybe they’re just online trolls, but in any event, they couldn’t be more out of touch. We’re in a golden age of music making, and 2024 was another year to prove it. While the quantity of new roots music can be intimidating, the quality is widely distributed across many regions, styles and subgenres. Helping you know where you might listen and learn is the purpose of this - my ninth annual Essential and Outstanding Americana Albums list, which I’m proud to share with you.

One of my highlights of 2024 was finally getting to see Minneapolis folk rocker Humbird, an artist whose three recordings display an unusual degree of sonic imagination and bandcraft, even beyond her serene and appealing voice. On her newest, Right On, songwriter Siri Undlin conjures ghosts, protests monoculture and environmental neglect, and investigates relationships. In this conversation, taped the morning after her official showcase at Americanafest 2024, we talk about her passion for folklore, the warm embrace of the Minneapolis DIY music scene, and the benefits of bare feet when using guitar pedals.

Over the past 20 years, Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms have emerged as the first couple of old-time string band and traditional country music in the Pacific Northwest. They’ve made themselves staples through their duo act, Klauder’s self-named band, and the origin of their renown, the almost 25-year-old Foghorn Stringband. From its origins in Portland, OR, Foghorn integrated Appalachian, Southeastern, and Cajun traditions, stirring up propulsive energy whether in a tavern, a dance hall, or a performing arts center. Reeb plays guitar, Caleb the mandolin. Fiddling comes from Sammy Lind, while Nadine Landry, a French Canadian, brings driving bass and keening vocals. They are festival favorites and an ideal example of pre-bluegrass folk music done right.