Annie’s Picks - Women in Folk

Living in Nashville, it’s impossible to ignore the deep roots folk music has in this city. Walk down any street in East Nashville, and you’ll hear acoustic guitars drifting from back porches or voices harmonizing in tiny venues. Folk music has always been about storytelling, and women have been some of its most powerful storytellers for generations.

From legends like Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell to modern pioneers like Brandi Carlile and Allison Russell, women have used folk as a means of protest, resilience, and raw emotional expression. Yet, despite their influence, the folk and Americana industries have historically favored male voices. Whether in radio, festival lineups, or award recognition.

Thankfully, that’s beginning to shift. The rise of artists like The Highwomen, Margo Price, and Bella White signals a new era in which women are at the forefront of folk and Americana, shaping its future rather than being sidelined. Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend festival and Rhiannon Giddens’ work reclaiming Black women’s role in folk history prove that this movement is more than just a moment; it’s a transformation.

Nashville, with its deep folk and country roots, is a crucial part of this change. Spaces like The Basement, The 5 Spot, and The Bluebird Café continue to be launching pads for emerging female folk artists. Songwriters’ rounds, where storytelling is the heartbeat of the performance, often showcase women are redefining what folk music can be. There’s a demand for their voices, and audiences are responding.

To celebrate these incredible artists, I put together a Spotify playlist featuring some of my favorite women in folk, past and present. It’s a mix of legends, rising stars, and under-the-radar voices that deserve to be heard. Give it a listen.

- Annie