The Top Five Folk Singers of the Sixties

The sixties were in one aspect the same as the decades before - if you wanted to be a musician, especially a singer than you had to be goddamn good. If one was beautiful, that was only added to the performing qualities, but you could never succeed only on the basis of your image (Punk was not invented yet.) However, in such a tight but diverse competition (many of the great singers from the previous decades continued their careers in the 60’s, and many new styles and genres were created during the decade) it would be very hard to complete an impartial list of the best vocalists of that era in general. Instead, I give you my choice of the best singers from the folk revival scene, with no hierarchy in the listing order whatsoever - they are all just brilliant!

JOAN BAEZ

She was among the earliest pioneers of the folk revival of the sixties. She began her recording career in 1960 and achieved immediate success. Her first three albums, Joan Baez, Joan Baez, Vol. 2, and Joan Baez in Concert all achieved gold record status and stayed on the Billboard and other record album charts for two years. She was also one of the loudest protesters in the counterculture movement in the second half of the decade, heavily criticizing the war in Vietnam, the establishment, and racial injustice.

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CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG

Well, this is sort of a four-in-one, but although every each of them is a terrific singer, their voices combined are pure magic. I first heard them on the Woodstock record, and they mesmerized me instantly. Usually, they performed as a trio, consisting of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, but they were known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) when joined by occasional fourth member Neil Young. They were noted for their intricate vocal harmonies, often tumultuous interpersonal relationships, political activism, and lasting influence on US music and culture.

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SIMON AND GARFUNKEL

The same that was said about CSNY can be said about this legendary duet. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are both magnificent voices, but when combined, they are simply unparalleled. They were one of the most popular recording artists of the 1960s and became counterculture icons of the decade's social revolution. Four of their songs reached number one on singles charts worldwide. As the decade ended, so did their musical relationship. Their final studio record, Bridge over Troubled Water (released in January 1970), was their most successful, becoming one of the world's best-selling albums.

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SANDY DENNY

Let’s not forget the British folk revival. Many great bands worked on the vivid British folk scene back in the sixties: Incredible String Band, Donovan, Pentangle, Jethro Tull, and among others, Fairport Convention, a band that included the wonderful Sandy Denny as a vocalist between 1968 and the end of 1969.  Before joining Fairport Convention, Sandy briefly worked with the Strawbs. She is also well known for being the only guest vocalist on a Led Zeppelin studio album when she shared a duet with Robert Plant for "The Battle of Evermore" on Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album (1971). She is praised for being one of the most diverse singers coming out of the British music scene.

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JONI MITCHELL

My all time favorite singer - Joni Mitchell is probably the most underrated artist of all time and across all genres. Besides being one of the best singers ever, she is also a proficient songwriter, instrumentalist, arranger, producer, but also a superb painter and writer. Joni is one of the most talented persons ever to walk on the face of the Earth. Her sophistication is so great that often stood in the way of commercial success. Even John Lennon said to her that he didn’t like her songs because they were “too sophisticated.”  But that’s what granted her the admiration of jazz greats such as Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, and Jaco Pastorius, among others. AllMusic has stated once that "when the dust settles, Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century" and they were absolutely right. Hats off to Joni Mitchell!