Here's your chance to recommend your favorite US & UK folk compilations. The more varied styles of folk the better.

New Electric Muse II: The Continuing Story of Folk into Rock is a pretty inexpensive, 3 cd set of songs from the early years of UK folk and folk rock. A lot of the emphasis here is on Pentagle, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span- maybe too much emphasis. More Annie Briggs would have helped though it's a nice starting spot to discover this particular era and these artists.

I recently picked up on Anthems in Eden: An Anthology of British & Irish Folk 1955 - 1978. This is the best UK folk set I've heard. A four disc set, cd one takes on the more traditional British folk-tunes. The second cd features the singer-songwriters, such as Annie Briggs, Bill Fay, Nick Drake and the best find in the entire collection, Shelagh McDonald. Folk rock bands dominate the third cd while acid-folk and psych-folk prevail on the fourth. Very worthwhile anthology which also contains an excellent 48 page booklet of photos and artist info. Highly recommended.

Packaged in a deluxe cigar box, Fonotone Records 1956-1969 features folk, jug band, country and old timey music from Joe Bussard's Fontone label. The first John Fahey recordings are on here though he records under the name Blind Thomas. Bussard is a member of several bands that are featured. I prefered the vocal tracks after the first cd (this is a 5 cd comp) as I thought they piled on too many instrumentals in a row. Overall I had a lotta fun diggin' these songs. You can't go wrong with songs from groups named the Mississippi Swampers and the Tennessee Mess Arounders.

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Packaged in a deluxe cigar box, Fonotone Records 1956-1969 features folk, jug band, country and old timey music from Joe Bussard's Fontone label. The first John Fahey recordings are on here though he records under the name Blind Thomas. Bussard is a member of several bands that are featured. I prefered the vocal tracks after the first cd (this is a 5 cd comp) as I thought they piled on too many instrumentals in a row. Overall I had a lotta fun diggin' these songs. You can't go wrong with songs from groups named the Mississippi Swampers and the Tennessee Mess Arounders.

You picked this one up already? Man I'm jealous. Joe Bussard was in Atlanta last week with some bands who are on the box set and, as usual, I couldn't get it together to get over to the show. Too bad, I hear it was a really fun night. I'm definately looking forward to getting that box set before too long.

I'll take the obvious one and recommend the Harry Smith anthology. Probably anyone who would be interested in this thread already owns the set, but I really don't know if you can get much better for american folk music.

One that I don't like much was the American Roots Music set that was released in conjunction with the PBS special of the same name a few years back. Really unimpressive as far as I was concerned.

Also, I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the JSP label. So good and so cheap.

Yeah, I splurged after the holidays, a present from me to me, and bought the Fonotone set online at Forced Exposure. I had no idea Joe Bossard was performing with the bands on that box set. Wish he'd show up somewhere in my area. Or at least release more volumes of those 78 rpm records of his on cd.

I have a reissue of a Harry Smith anthology on vinyl but have yet to invest in that 6-cd box set, which is on my want list. I've looked for a used copy at a good price to no avail. Yet.

Bussard wasn't actually playing with any of the bands, just hanging out. I read in the paper that he was inviting anyone there who wanted to stop in at his house if they were ever in his area to check out his record collection. I'm pretty sure he also puts on a radio show here in Atlanta on Fridays also. If not him, then someone else with a pretty impressive record collection