Sorry to take so long with this. I’ve found it to be the most difficult topic we’ve treated so far, and have finally resolved to just put a choice but almost random selection of ten cuts from hundreds of possibilities. I like what Brent did, and restricted my list to what could be considered “folk” (Nina Simone is a self-described folk artist and I agree), adding a few favorite solo jazz albums as an appendix. I’ve already named unaccompanied tracks on a lot of prior lists, so you won’t be surprised by many of these or the artists named.
Soon after I selected this topic, I also came to realize that a lot of the songs that I thought were unaccompanied performances, aren’t. For example, I forgot about the haunting cello accompaniment on “Spencer the Rover (Spotify),” from the Sunday’s Child album. I went ahead and included it because he performed it solo live throughout his career, and hey, you all are cheating too! For the most part, I am sticking with unaccompanied studio cuts and albums. There’s something very intimate about these.
Songs
1. Nina Simone–Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair. (Spotify)
2. Martin Carthy–Davy Lowston
3. Dave Van Ronk–Dink’s Song
4. Joni Mitchell–The River
5. Bob Dylan–Moonshiner (Spotify). A lot of these songs are about the vocals. This is probably my favorite vocal performance of all time.
6. Michael Hedges–Aerial Boundaries
7. Anne Briggs–Lowlands
8. Richard Buckner–Settled Down (Spotify)
9. John Martyn–Spencer the Rover
10. Kevin Coyne–Marjory Razor Blade
Albums
Nick Drake–Pink Moon. I think I’ve said it before, but it is hard for me to imagine these tunes with any accompaniment beyond what’s there. It cannot be improved upon, each and every song from the album so personal.
Leo Kottke–Greenhouse. Especially “Spanish Entomologist” (in part because of the effortless quotes of Hank Williams’ Jambalaya and a couple of other songs I can’t place), “Song of the Swamp“, and one of his all-time great vocal songs, “Louise“.
Loudon Wainwright III–A Live One (“Motel Blues“)
Music Corner w/ Archive 